


Not-So-Evil Stepsister

by Cuppatea13



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Adoptive family, Canon Divergence, Family, Gen, Orphans, Sisters, lost girls, ugly ducklings, what if
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-23
Updated: 2016-08-12
Packaged: 2018-03-14 18:42:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 122,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3421475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cuppatea13/pseuds/Cuppatea13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Emma Swan found someone before Henry found her? Another girl, just as broken, who decided that they would be each other's family, since no one else would have them. How would that change when Emma finds her real family and the two girls discover that magic is very much real?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. You're My Sister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The highlights of the Emma & Ada Show- from meet cute to Emma's 28th birthday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! So...yeah, Reliant...still not done. But this got stuck in my head so here we are. This is...barely planned. Like, I have this and the next chapter and that's it. So, do not expect regular updates (sorry, it pains me to admit I'm not quite together enough to have it all written out or a steady writing schedule). But here we have me, yet again, playing with that whole sibling thing.
> 
> This is getting to be a theme with me.
> 
> Either way- read, review, please, tell me your thoughts.
> 
> Well, everyone have a nice week if I don't talk to you before it's over!

**New York City, July 2003**

Emma Swan was just on the subway after finishing a meeting with a potential employer (not many people willing to take a gamble on a former jail bird with no real previous job experience, but she thought this diner would hire her. It was just waitressing, but she'll take what she can get at this point.) when some asshole decided to grab her ass. She was tired, completely worn, and honestly quite used to the average sexual harassment on any form of public transportation, so she wasn't going to say anything but simply move out of reach, when a voice sounded out behind her.

"Hey, watch it slime-ball. Shockingly, no girl wishes to meet her Prince Charming by having him grope her on the subway."

Having someone else speak up for her is an unusual enough, so Emma stood in shock as a woman, short, red curly hair, and dark brown eyes, shoved her way towards Emma and subtly elbowed the slime-ball away from the twenty year old.

"Hi, I'm Ada Ward. You wanna get off at the next station and find a bar and complain about assholes?"

Emma wasn't quite sure how it happened, but somehow the tiny girl (seriously- she must be barely five foot, and she was in heels) managed to get her into some dive bar hidden in a back alley of New York, drinking shots and commiserating on being female in a world of men.

"Oh, no- lemme tell you this one," Ada practically snorted into the beer she was using as a chaser (how the girl hadn't collapsed from all the booze they'd drunk, Emma would never know), "So I'm barely out of high school, working in a bar, and some convention ends up spilling in at one point and they're all talking and friendly and I start chatting with one of the guys, cuz, you know, people talk. And I mentioned how I loved- god, what was it even? Oh! Batman. I was talking with the guy about Batman of all things, and, mind you, I've only ever really seen the movies and watched reruns on tv, but hey, I like Batman, this guy likes Batman, we're having a friendly conversation. So this buddy of his, sitting next to him at the bar, suddenly butts in and talks about how pathetic it is when girls act like "fake geeks" just to get attention from guys and then starts giving me the Spanish Inquisition."

"On Batman?" Emma asked incredulously.

"On Batman," Ada said with an emphatic nod, and then continued, "So I let the guy fire off his twenty questions and then I start in, "You're right," I say, "It is terrible of us girls to encroach on this territory of geekiness that has always historically belonged to men. It's disrespectful really, I mean, the first novel ever written was...oh, wait, that was a chick. Well, that wasn't too geeky anyways. The first sci-fi novel was Frankenstein and that was written by- oh, shit, ignore that one, that was a chick again. Oh! First story about a masked hero with a secret identity was the Scarlet Pimpernel which was written by a Baroness Emma...oh, dude, sorry- that's another chick. Well, that's just awkward." and for a minute both guys are just sitting there, staring at me, as I fix up the next round of drinks. God, it felt so good!"

Emma was now laughing into her liquor, wondering where the hell this girl came from, cuz it sure wasn't any world Emma was familiar with.

"Oh, man, oh- I've got one," Emma prepared herself to share, "I was walking down the street when some guy does the usually "I'd hit that" catcall, and I was already having a shitty day, so I turned around and acted like I was super complimented, but went way over the top with it- I was all, "Oh, thank god, finally, my life has begun! Let's get married soon! I want as many babies as we can get!" the guy started walking away, his face was so red, and I just shouted after him: "I'm sorry- am I making  _you_  uncomfortable?""

It was Ada's turn to snort now, "Oh god," she said, practically wiping tears from her eyes, "I have got to remember that one."

"Hey," Emma murmured, suddenly serious, "Why'd you yell at that guy today? Not that I'm not grateful, but I doubt you do that every time you see a guy grab someone's ass."

"Why would you doubt that?" Ada asked with a wink.

"Because by simple math, there is not enough time in the day."

Ada gave a little shrug, "I don't know, I saw you and I got some major prickings."

"Prickings?" Emma repeated with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, I've always gotten them, long as I can remember. Whenever something good or bad or big is about to happen, or I meet someone important, I get this feeling. Sometimes it's big, sometimes small, sometimes it turns out to be nothing," she shrugs again, "then in English class we read Macbeth and the witches said "pricking" and that was the only word I could think of to describe it. Except tingles, which could be vastly misunderstood if I told someone I got the tingles."

Emma smirked a little, "Yeah, I can see why you'd want to avoid that."

"Anyways, I saw you and it was like I swallowed a jar full of ants or something, and I try to never ignore the prickings, so I walked up to you and here we are. I think it was a damn good thing I followed my instincts."

"Ladies, I'm afraid we're closing up," the bartender interrupted, shrugging, "Do you need me to call you a cab?"

"Nah- neither of us drove here- we'll stick together and take the bus or something. Thanks though," with a wave and a tipsy bounce, Ada was dragging Emma out of the bar. "Now, I'm just a few stops away from home, you?"

"Same, actually, I'm in this apartment complex called Nevada Street,"

"Wow- small world- I live there too!"

"Oh god, are you the person on the seventh floor who stomps all the time?"

Ada gave a woozy laugh, "Nah- can't take credit for that. Come on, I'll walk you home."

Emma woke up the next day to a massive hangover and a note slipped under her door.

"Last night was totally fun- we should do it again sometime. I'm apartment 815

Love, Ada G. Ward

PS: Warning: hot water, so not working today."

* * *

**October, 2003**

"Oh, god, why did you not stop me?" Emma groaned as she walked into Ada's apartment early one morning.

"What? He seemed cute and disease-free. I figured you knew what you were doing."

"Not so loud, please."

"Coffee?" Ada obligingly lowered her voice to a whisper.

"God, yes," Emma blindly reached out for the mug.

"What would you do without me?" Ada smirked as she began to gather ingredients for pancakes.

Emma winced as a pan banged onto the stove, "Wallow in my own misery in peace."

"Well thank god you found me."

"I think it was your stupid prickings that found me," Emma grumbled even as she gulped down the coffee.

"Hey- no knocking the prickings. They've gotten us out of more than a few jams."

"And into even more," Emma added for the sake of fairness.

Ada just gave her a sly smile. "That's the best part." The only response Emma was willing to give to that was a roll of the eyes.

The apartment was silent for a few minutes as Emma sipped coffee and Ada made pancakes. When the batter was all cooked into shapes that vaguely resembled circles and the syrup was heating up in the microwave, Ada put a plate before her friend and eyed the blonde across her table.

"I figured it was about time you got over him."

Emma immediately tensed, "I don't know who you're talking about."

For a panicked second, Emma was worried Ada is going to push it. Emma knew her flight response would kick in, and it'd been a long time since she'd had a friend. And Ada was a really good friend. She didn't want to lose this but she really did not want this conversation either.

"Ok."

Emma's shocked eyes flew up to watch Ada get the syrup out of the microwave and plunk it down between the two of them on the table. As they began consuming their breakfast, Ada added just one more tidbit.

"For the record, I hate him on principle. Just so you know."

She was not lying. And Emma felt this warm feeling spreading through her, because she could not remember ever having anyone hate someone they'd never met and knew nothing about just because she'd been hurt by them. Ada didn't know a thing (or maybe she did, because Emma had no clue how she figured out that Emma was trying to get over...him...and the massive betrayal and disappointment he had been, so clearly she must be psychic or the prickings are way more specific than Ada ever let on) but she was willing to mindlessly hate someone for Emma.

Yeah, Ada was a very good friend.

Too bad with Emma's track record it was guaranteed to never last.

* * *

**New Year's, 2004**

"Ok, ok, um…my New Year's resolution is…" Emma rolled her eyes as Ada trailed off again, very obviously having no clue what to resolve. They were crashed on Emma's couch having just watched the ball drop after consuming several bottles of wine and way too much Chinese takeout.

Ada let out a groan. "I've got no clue, you pick it for me."

"Ok- I think your resolution should be to grow a few inches."

"Hey!" Ada exclaimed, giving Emma a lazy kick in the thigh for the short joke, "We both know that's never happening, so be serious."

"Ok- you need to stop picking up strays."

"Why?" Ada's voice was practically a whine, and she sounded almost as insulted as she was by the short joke.

"Ok- seriously, in the time I've known you, you've rescued two dogs, four kittens, three pigeons, two of whom constantly pecked at you, and a sparrow. Which was the dirtiest bird ever. You need to stop. We're not allowed animals in the apartment, you're going to get caught, not to mention the money you spend nursing them back to health." Emma didn't say it, but she counted herself as one of the strays Ada had picked up.

"But the dogs and kittens all found good homes and the birds were healthy when released and able to fly away. Though the one pigeon still visits me," Ada added with a small smile.

"I know. It's damn pecking at the window woke me up two nights ago."

"Well you shouldn't have had your one night stand at your place, then you wouldn't have felt the need to come here and crash on my couch, while I went and kicked him out for you."

"But you're such a good friend," Emma pouted, or tried to, but there had been a lot of wine.

"Damn right I am. Now that's my resolution. Be a better friend."

"That's dumb, you're already the best friend I have."

"Emma, I'm you're only friend."

"Admittedly there isn't much competition, but I can't imagine a better friend than you."

"Good god, how much wine have you had, girl?"

"Wayyyy too much. Now, I came up with your resolution, you come up with mine."

"I think you should do a ceremonial burning to get over him."

Emma normally would've stiffened here and shut down the topic immediately, but Ada was her best friend, she'd had way too much wine, and it was a holiday- which always brought to her mind all the past holidays she had spent alone and gave her a serious case of the holiday blues, not that she'd ever admit it.

She still stiffened, but she also sighed and reached up to play with the chain around her neck. It was a reminder- no one, no man, no best friend, no one, is going to choose her. Not really. She's not worth it to anyone and they'll leave. If they promise to stay, it's an empty lie that they may mean at the time, but eventually- everyone leaves.

It was a reminder- trust no one.

But it was New Years, Ada's curled up next to her on the couch, she's had too much wine, and she couldn't help but remember of all of Ada's strays- they always left Ada when they were whole, complete, and Ada always made sure they went home in the end. Whether that was a family with kids who wanted a dog to take to the park every day, a lovely old man who melted at the sight of a tiny little kitten curled up in his wheelchair-bound lap, or a free breeze to fly around the city on, those strays went  _home_.

Maybe Ada would get her home too.

It was New Year's.

 _Ah, screw it_. She couldn't talk about…him. But she could talk about something else. Just to appease Ada for a little while- not because she wanted to get something off her chest or anything like that.

"I grew up in the foster system."

"So did I."

"I was found on the side of the road, my parents just…left me there. All I've got from them is a baby blanket with my name stitched on it. It's so weird- it's such a nice blanket, you'd think it belong to someone who desperately wanted a baby. I guess I wasn't the baby they were hoping for."

"My parents died in a car accident. I only have this scar on my thigh from it, but there was no one to take me in, so I got sent to the foster system. I was six, so I was too old for most people to want to adopt me, and I was so against it at first- I didn't want new parents, I wanted my old ones- so it just never happened."

"I was adopted, but they sent me back when I was three. The wife, she got pregnant, so…you know."

"You weren't the baby they were hoping for?"

"Again."

Both women sighed and curled up a little closer to each other on the couch.

"You wanna watch chick flicks and make fun of the stupid characters?" Ada asked after a long silence.

"Yeah."

"I'll get the popcorn, you get another bottle of wine."

* * *

**April, 2004**

"I think we should be roommates, we practically live with each other anyways and it'd be so much cheaper," Ada casually said out of nowhere as they finished jeering at the Notebook.

"What brought this on?" Emma asked as she chucked one final handful of popcorn kernels at the tv screen. It was going to be a bitch to clean them all up, but it felt surprisingly satisfying.

"I've got an itch."

"Not a pricking?"

"No, dumbo, an itch. I've lived here awhile, I wanna move. I think you should move with me."

"Where do you wanna go?"

Ada shrugged and gave a small pout as she thinks on that, "I hear they have great food in Charleston."

"You wanna go all the way to Charleston?"

"Why not?"

Silence for a moment. Two.

"Ok, why the hell not."

* * *

**August, 2005**

"His name was Neal. I met him when I was seventeen and I stole a car he had already stolen."

* * *

**November, 2005**

"I was pregnant, but I had to give him up. I didn't deserve him, and he deserved so much more than me. So I looked away and told the doctor I couldn't be a mother. I'm just not…enough…to be a mother."

Ada stared at Emma for a long time over the bottle of wine they'd just finished.

"You're enough to be my best friend," she finally concluded in a whisper. "More than that. You're more than my best friend, you're my sister. And I promise," here she made sure to make direct contact with Emma's eyes, letting her use her superpower, "And I am fully aware I'm making this promise to a human lie detector, I, Ada Gloria Ward, promise you, Emma Swan- you will be my sister forever. Even death can come, and I will still be your sister. There is nothing in this universe that would change that."

She wasn't lying.

* * *

**Boston, Massachusetts, October 2011**

Emma Swan unlocked her apartment door and immediately kicked off the heels she was wearing. They were killer in every sense of the word- looked great, hurt even more. But that's what she got for borrowing shoes from Ada.

"You catch the bad guy?" her roommate yelled from another room.

"Of course I did," Emma returned almost pompously, "Have I ever not found my guy?"

"Well, aside from your Prince Charming, no," Ada returned with a wink as she enters the kitchen. "And now, ladies and appliances, the moment you've all been waiting for: duh duh duh duh! The birthday cupcakes!"

"A- you didn't have to-" but Ada cut Emma off.

"Shut up, it's not every day your sister turns twenty eight. Now I've got the prickings-"

"Oh, god," groaned Emma.

"And that means this- this is going to be a spectacular year for you. So we have to start it right- and that means cupcakes with…" and Ada plopped a plate in front of Emma on the counter, it was Emma's favorite kind of cupcake with a single blue star candle stuck into, already lit and flickering in a way that seemed almost like the flame was dancing. Adding a second cupcake on a plate in front of herself, Ada gave a small smile to Emma, who was still, after two years of friendship and six of sisterhood, unused to someone wanting to celebrate her existence.

"A birthday wish candle." Ada finally finished her sentence, giving a quick hug to Emma. They weren't normally huggers, but the exception happened once in a while.

"Make a wish," the short redhead added after a moment, nudging her friend. Emma gave a sheepish smile then leaned down so she was eye level with the little blue candle.

Her eyes closed briefly, and then she blew the candle out.

A knock sounded on the door.


	2. Finding Storybrooke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We find out who, exactly, was knocking at the door, and then we take a road trip.

"Were you expecting someone?" Emma asked Ada, who shook her head.

"I was planning sugar-filled girls' night with just us. Maybe it's the building supervisor or something."

Emma shrugged and went to open the door. Not immediately seeing anyone, she looked down and noticed a boy- brown hair, brown eyes, looking up at her. Assuming he was lost, she asked, "Um…can I help you?"

"Are you Emma Swan?" the boy asks. And, ok,  _weird_. But it's just a kid, so maybe her mail got mixed up with some neighbors and he's checking to make sure he's got the matching name for an envelope. But still,  _weird_.

"Yeah. And you are?"

"I'm Henry. I'm your son." She's standing, frozen in the doorway, and the kid just freaking  _slips under her arm_  and walks in like he lives here.

"Woh- hey," she's managed to get her voice back at least, "Hey, kid."

"Hello," Ada says, eyebrows skyrocketing as the kid walks into the kitchen. "You lost?"

"Nope," the kid answers after examining her briefly. Emma interrupts again.

"Kid! I don't have a son. Where are your parents?" Seriously- what is going on here?

"Ten years ago, did you give up a baby for adoption?" he pauses and makes eye contact with her. Emma's too stunned to do much, even notice Ada's widening eyes as what's going on seeps in. "That was me."

"Gimme a minute." With that, she dashes into the bathroom and shuts the door behind her.

Faced with a small child she knows a lot and yet nothing about, Ada slowly releases a breath. Emma's not going to be able to deal with this. At. All. She remembers a few years ago, when the wine had been liberally poured and Emma actually talked about her past a little as they drunkenly psychoanalyzed themselves for each other.

"There was never anything I wanted more than him," she had said when Ada asked if she would've wanted the kid provided she hadn't been in jail at the time, "I wanted him more than Neal, more than finding my family, I wanted him more than life itself. But I knew he deserved more than me. So I guess there was just one thing I wanted more than him."

"For him to have everything you didn't," she had finished for her friend, looking at Emma as she downed the last of her wine glass.

"Yeah."

Now, Emma's trying to get a grip on herself in the bathroom as this baby- the one she wanted more than anything in the world, including finding out the truth about her parents (which, for Emma, was HUGE), has shown up on their doorstep, not full grown, but grown, and casually strolled into the apartment while Emma's birthday cupcakes still sit on the counter, the last tendrils of smoke just dissipating from the blue birthday candle. And Ada has no idea what to do.

"Who are you?" the boy asks, his voice level and even as he keeps his tone relatively emotionless, it's a sweet voice. Ada can't help but stare at this child, looking for traces of Emma in him. There's not much, he obviously got a lot of his looks from his father.

Hopefully that's all Neal passed on, and this won't be another boy who breaks Emma.

"I'm Ada. Emma's best friend. We're roommates," not seeing anything else to do, she looks down at the counter and says, "You want some cupcake?"

The boy shrugs and sits on one of the bar stools, "Sure. You think she'll be long?"

"Well, she's had a bit of a shock, here," and she gives him her cupcake, "Hope you like chocolate."

"I do," and he gives her a smile and  _there_. That's Emma's smile. Ada would recognize it anywhere.

"How about I go check on Emma while you eat that, hmm?" The little boy nods (god, he's sweet and cute and it's breaking Ada's heart because this boy, this child, he is everything to Emma in a way no one else can be, and she knows for a fact this is the first time Emma's laid eyes on him. "I couldn't look, if I saw him I knew I'd cave, and I'd be selfish, and I'd keep him.") and Ada walks over to the bathroom.

"Emma," she says with a knock, "C'mon, open up. It's just me."

And those are the magic words because the lock clicks and the door cracks open and Ada slips in quickly then closes and locks it behind her. Emma needs that feeling of security right now, and Ada's going to make sure her sister has whatever she needs right now as much as is in her power.

"Ok, I have no idea what to say because Hallmark  _so_  does not make a card for this."

Emma nods slightly but gives Ada an obligatory quirk of the lips that might, in 300 years or so, grow to be a smile.

"Not that I get all my wisdom from Hallmark cards," Ada continues, "But you'd be surprised how applicable they often are."

Emma's leaning up against the sink, hyperventilating slightly, so Ada takes a seat on the toilet (not much room in here, but they've shared this bathroom during rushed mornings when they're both running late, early morning hangovers when they're fighting half-heartedly for hugging the toilet, flus that spread too easily, and more than one emotional crisis, so they know how to make it work) and grabs her friend's hand.

"I'm here," she says, "I'm not going anywhere, I'm not leaving you. You're my sister, I love you."

Emma's breathing is beginning to slow and her eyes finally make contact with Ada when the boy's voice echoes to them:

"Hey- you got any juice?

"Never mind- found some."

With that, Emma exits the bathroom and Ada takes another deep breath before following.

"You know, we should probably get going," Emma's son (god, that's so bizarre) says to her.

"Going where?" Emma has regained some of her equilibrium, but she's still got her arms crossed tight against her in an effort to  _keep it together, Swan_.

"I want you to come home with me," the kid says with no small amount of excitement and all Ada can think is " _oh, god_."

Emma's reaction is appropriate, trying to keep the emotions safely untangled for all parties involved as she dashes to the phone, "Ok, kid, I'm calling the cops."

"Then I'll tell them you kidnapped me," the boy shoots back just as quickly. Ada's just watching everything unfold at this point, unsure what she can contribute other than silent, supportive back up for Emma, but damn- that was something that Emma would do. Quick thinking.

"And they'll believe you because I'm you're birth mother," Emma says, deflating slightly.

"Yup," the boy returns, clearly thinking he's ahead, but Ada knows that look on Emma's face- knows it well, because this is the look Emma gets right before she whips out a royal flush in a poker game, or right before she snags whoever she's finding, or right before she tells some drunk ass at the bar that she can always tell when someone is lying and that he'd better go home to his girlfriend now if he likes the way his face is arranged.

"You're not gonna do that," Emma smirks.

"Try me," he shoots back, steady, not a sign of nerves on him.  _He's good_ , Emma thinks, but her superpower is better.

"You're pretty good, but here's the thing. There's not a lot I'm great at in life, but I have one skill, let's call it a superpower," she says, tilting her head and raising her eyebrows slightly, before lowering her voice and finishing this game of cat and mouse, "I can tell when anyone is lying. And you, kid,  _are_." She goes to dial the nine on the phone before the kid interrupts.

"Wait. Don't call the cops," and, god, if he is not freaking adorable, "Please. Come home with me." And Ada can  _see_ Emma cave. Damn- that kid is going to have to teach her how to do that because Emma Swan does not cave easily.

Sure enough, Emma says sternly (no doubt attempting to maintain some level of authority) "Where's home?"

"Storybrooke, Maine," the kid says, without a hint of gloating.  _Oh, he's good,_  Ada thinks.

"Storybrooke? Seriously?" But Ada knows Emma will go- if only to make sure that when she gave her baby up for his best chance, he actually got it. Emma wants to make sure all her heartache was worth it.

"Mm hm."

Emma sighs, "Alrighty, then. Let's get you back to Storybrooke."

It's as soon as Emma's back is turned that Ada sees the smirk cross the boy's face.

_Damn, he is good._

"Ada-" Emma begins, but the redhead immediately cuts her off.

"There is no way you are leaving me behind on this one. Go get changed, I'll clean up in here. Don't bother arguing because you know you won't win."

Emma doesn't bother arguing, just goes into her room to change.

"It's OK, you don't need to come," the boy tells her as Emma leaves the room, "I'm ten years old, I'm not exactly dangerous."

Ada smirks,  _oh, kid, you're the most dangerous person Emma's ever met_ , "I'm coming," she replies, voice steady, entire body language screaming no-nonsense.

The kid doesn't bother arguing again.

A few minutes later, they're all piling into Emma's yellow bug, the two women sitting in the front seats while the boy has the back to himself. He quickly puts his backpack in the space next to him and clutches a book in his lap as they begin to move.

The drive is largely silent until he pipes up. "I'm hungry. Can we stop somewhere?"

Emma is immediately shutting that down, she doesn't want to spend any more time than she has to, for fear that she'll only spiral further and further once the kid is gone.

"This is not a road trip; we're not stopping for snacks."

"Why not?" Emma rolls her eyes. Ada reaches across and grips her upper arm briefly as the bail bondsperson struggles to remain aloof with her long-lost child in the car.

"Quit complaining, kid. Remember I could've put your butt on a bus, I still could." Ada's already reaching into her purse and pulls out a snack bag filled with trail mix, handing it to the kid. She shrugs at the look Emma gives her.

"Thanks. And I have a name," the boy continues to complain despite Emma's warning, "It's Henry." Ada watches Emma absorb that. She knows that her friend never dared name her baby. During the whole pregnancy. She refused to even give the baby growing inside her a nickname, for fear she'd be unable to do what was best when the time came. For fear she'd grow selfish. To have his name, a name she never felt qualified or worthy to give, was hitting her hard.

Ada looks at the little boy,  _Henry_ , sitting in the backseat and notices how he's got his book opened and seems to be casually reading it. As if he's read it, many times before.

"You like reading?" Ada asks softly, hoping to give her friend some time to recover and hoping this topic won't give the blonde next to her any more wounds.

"I like reading this book," Henry replies. At this, Emma sneaks a peak at him in the rear view mirror.

"What's it about?" she asks, clearly glad for the safe topic.

"I'm not sure you're ready yet," the boy replies. Ada's amused, Emma's just confused.

"Ready for a bunch of fairytales?"

"They're not fairytales," Henry says emphatically, clearly serious, "They're true. Every story in this book actually happened." Even Ada, without Emma's superpower, can tell that Henry believes every word he's saying. She's not sure what to do here- is he too old for fairytales? No kid she knew at age ten still believed- but she grew up an orphan, surrounded by other orphans- they were disillusioned fast- for kids who weren't alone was this normal? Her prickings have been going insane since Henry showed up, so she knows this boy is monumentally important- but he's her sister's long-lost son, of course he is.

"Of course they did," Emma answers softly after sharing a wide-eyed look with Ada.

"Use your superpower," Henry challenges, "See if I'm lying."

Emma actually turns around to gape at the kid before turning back to the road. "Just because you believe something doesn't make it true."

Both women have had more than enough experience in believing in something (or someone) only to find that what they thought was true, was nothing but smoke.

"It's  _exactly_  what makes it true," Henry returns. Ada can't help but smile, albeit sadly, for the boy's sentiment. She hopes Henry is able to hold onto that- she and Emma lost that kind of belief ages ago. "You should know more than anyone," Henry continues and Ada and Emma are back to exchanging bewildered looks.  _Well,_  Ada thinks,  _He's not dull_.

"Why's that?" Emma asks, playing along.

"Because you're in this book."

At that Ada can't help but worry- an adopted kid connecting his birthmother with a fairytale story. Emma sighs "Oh, kid, you've got problems."

"Yup," Henry replies almost cheerfully, if he wasn't so serious, "And you're gonna fix them."

At this both of them go silent, at a loss of what to say. They can understand the want for your parents to swoop in and fix everything, but that unfulfilled want has made them two very damaged people- how can they carefully break to this sweet boy that Emma is not saving him and without making him just as jaded as them?

The rest of the car ride was spent largely in silence- Emma and Ada have known each other long enough that they could be silent together for hours, and Henry reads his storybook peacefully in the back. Finally, they come to a sign: Welcome to STORYBROOKE.

The town is incredibly small, and they drive down the main street to see lights here and there, but it's empty, deserted really.

"Ok, kid, how about an address?" Emma asks.

"44 not telling you street," Henry snarks.

Emma pulls to a sudden stop. Ada, who had been lightly dozing, jerks forward and gives her friend a glare, but it goes unnoticed as Emma puts the bug in park. Clearly more than a little angry, she steps out of the bug and Henry and Ada both exit the vehicle as well, Ada ducking as an electrical wire sparks.

"Look," Emma begins, "It's been a long night and it's almost…" she trails off, looking at the massive clock tower, "8:15?"

"Well that's accurate," Ada says dryly.

"That clock hasn't moved in my whole life," Henry tells the two women, unfazed by Emma's frustration. "Time is frozen here," he adds softly, shaking his head slightly.

"Excuse me?" Emma is starting to wonder if she'll be a broken record of "excuse mes" and "whats" by the end of this night.

"The Evil Queen did it with her curse," Henry explains, "She sent everyone from the Enchanted Forest here."

"Hang on," Emma says, leaning against the bug, "An Evil Queen sent a bunch of fairytale characters here?" the skepticism is tangible in her voice.

"Yeah, and now they're trapped."

"Frozen in time stuck in Storybrooke, Maine," Emma's eyebrows meet together, "That's what you're going with?"

"It's true!" Henry finally seems to be getting a little frustrated with repeating his story.

"Then why doesn't everybody just leave?" Emma asks, clearly trying to help poke holes in the boy's theory. Ada leans up against the bug and wishes for sleep. She had had a long day at work, and while she had been planning to stay up late for Emma's birthday, she hadn't exactly counted on a long-lost son and exhausting drive to Storybrooke.

"They can't. If they try  _bad things_  happen." Henry's very emphatic on this point.

Suddenly, a man's voice comes across the street, "Henry!" the three turn to see a taller man with curly hair, an umbrella, and glasses walking towards them with his Dalmatian. "What are you doing here?" He looks to Emma and Ada. "Is everything alright?" Emma opens her mouth to begin the explanations, but Henry cuts in.

"I'm fine, Archie," he says, like it's normal to be seen with two strange women late at night in the middle of the road.

"Who's this?" Archie asks, with a glance at both Emma and Ada.

"Just someone trying to give him a ride home," Emma replies with a quick nod and a tight, tense smile.

"She's my mom, Archie," Henry again explains. Ada and Emma exchange uncomfortable looks.

"Oh," the man says with a sudden understanding, "I see." And Ada clears her throat, searching for the appropriate words in this situation.  
Yeah, Hallmark  _so_  does not make cards for these things.

The man's attention had turned to her when she cleared her throat and Ada, for lack of a better thing to do, stuck out her hand to shake it with the man, Archie. "I'm Ada. This is Emma. Henry kinda just…showed up on our doorstep tonight. We're trying to get him back home. You know where he lives?"

"Yeah, uh- just, right up on Mifflin Street, the Mayor's house is the biggest one on the block." Emma and Ada's eyebrows both rise in unison.

"You're the mayor's kid?" Emma asks incredulously.

"Maybe," Henry mumbles, scuffing his shoes on the street.

"Hey, where were you today, Henry? You missed your session," the man continues.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you," the kid is clearly lying, "I went on a field trip."

Archie clearly can tell as well. "Henry," he says slowly, drawing out the name a little, "What did I tell you about lying? Giving in to one's dark side, never accomplishes anything."

"Ooookkayy," Emma interrupts, both girls just wanting to get home at this point. "Well, I really should be getting him home." Emma trails off, shrugging a little.

"Yeah, sure, well listen, um, have a good night, and, uh," he turns to Henry, "be good." As the man and his dog walk away, Emma turns back to Henry.

"So that's your shrink."

"I'm not crazy."

"Didn't say that. Just," she shrugs again, "He doesn't seem  _cursed_  to me. Maybe he's just trying to help you."

"He's the one who needs help," Henry insists, "Because he doesn't know."

"Alright, well, there's no help to be had tonight," Ada cuts in, "Let's get a move on. Back into the bug, kiddo."

"They don't remember who they are," Henry insists.

"Convenient," Emma scoffs with a smile.

"Alright- who's he supposed to be?" Ada asks as Henry slides in the back.

"Jiminy Cricket!" Henry sort of cheers.

"Right, the lying thing," Emma says.

"Thought your nose grew a little bit," Ada teased.

"I'm not Pinocchio," Henry sounds almost offended.

"Of course you're not, because  _that_  would be ridiculous," Emma puts the bug into gear and shares a small smile with Ada.

"There it is, forty-four," Ada points out the house. "Wow- that is big."

They park the bug and Emma opens up the front gate, leading Henry up the walk.

"Please don't take me back there," Henry asks in a soft voice, one that almost breaks Ada and Emma's hearts, but the walk him up to the house regardless.

"I have to," Emma says on a sigh, "I'm sure your parents are worried sick about you." Ada can see the pain on Emma's face- she doesn't know what it's like to have someone worried sick about her.

"I don't have parents," Henry continues to argue. "Just a mom, and she's  _evil_."

At this, Emma, who would've given anything to have a mom, has had enough with the "evil" nonsense. "Evil? That's a bit extreme, isn't it?"

Henry's head droops, "She is. She doesn't love me. She only pretends to." He's pretty much muttering the final sentence. Emma and Ada are both remembering all the kids in school, kids who had parents, who complained about them, how strict or how harsh or how unfair they were, and remembered feeling such a longing for someone, anyone, wondering why these kids who didn't appreciate the parents they had were so obviously loved, while they were left alone and abandoned, when they would give anything and love dearly anyone who would give them a chance.

Emma sighs and kneels before the boy she tried to give the very best of chances to, "I'm sure that's not true," she begins, when the door bursts open and a woman dashes out shouting "Henry?" in a voice that is simultaneously panicked and relieved. She is followed by a man,  _a damn attractive man_ , Ada has time to think, before the woman in question has Henry wrapped up in her arms and Ada begins to feel a little ill.

"Are you ok?" the woman questions, "Where have you been? What happened?" she stands up straight again.

Henry's face has gone cold, and he brushes her off with a "I found my real mom," before dashing into the house.

The awkwardness that settles over the four adults standing outside is tangible. The man and Ada don't quite know where to look, while Henry's adoptive mother stares at Emma, who looks so contrite and guilty Ada just wants to take her back to their apartment, rewind time, and give her a better birthday. Unfortunately, time travel is not in her skill set.

"You're Henry's birth mother?" the dark haired woman questions in a daze.

"Hi," Emma says, so clearly uncomfortable.

"I'll just go," the man says with a slight accent, trying to escape the situation, "Check the lad, make sure he's alright." Ada, however, can't escape quite so easily and she casts an envious glare at the stranger. She begins to fiddle with the hem of the dress she was wearing, shifting foot to foot on her heels.

The brunette straightens herself and then gives a cool smile, "How would you like a glass of the best apple cider you ever tasted?" she asks Emma.

"You got anything stronger?" Emma returns, only half-joking.

The woman merely smirks, and gestures towards the house.

"I'm not feeling so hot, Emma, I'll wait in the car," Ada says, seeing a chance to escape. She really does feel ill, like she might barf, so Emma nods and follows the mayor into the house. Ada goes to sit on the hood of the bug and takes deep breaths. After a minute or two, the man walks out of the house. Spotting Ada, he walks up to the bug.

"Well, interesting night?" he says with a small smile, before holding out his hand to shake, "Sheriff Graham Humbert."

Ada returns the gesture, "Ada Ward. I'm a friend of Emma's."

"Ah, I see," he says, "So how did you manage to escape the mayor's questioning?"

Ada shrugged, "Not too hard, she was so focused on Emma I doubt she even noticed I was here."

"It's understandable."

"It is."

"I mean, single motherhood is never easy," he seems to be trying to excuse the Mayor. For what, Ada's not sure, but she knows that the woman gives her some seriously bad prickings.

"I wouldn't know," Ada inserts.

"No kids?"

"It's just me and Emma- we take care of each other. We don't really need anyone else."

"Oh," he says, his eyes widening.

"Oh," Ada inserts, suddenly realizing what conclusion he's drawing, "No! No! Not that there's anything wrong with, you know, but Emma and I…we, I mean, we're really actually more like sisters, not…you know. Again, not that there's anything wrong with."

"I understand. I apologize-"

"No need, totally understandable, I didn't really realize how it sounded until it was out of my mouth and, you know, no. It's fine." They both give awkward chuckles.

"Well, it was nice to meet you," the Sheriff says, "Goodnight."

"Nice to meet you as well, Sheriff. Night," Ada returns as he walks away.

Ada hears the keys clinking as Emma comes down the walkway. She looks deep in thought, as though something is bothering her.

Ada has a sinking feeling she knows what it is.

They both exchange a wordless glance before Ada settles into the car.

She's not going to bring it up. She's not. It's none of their business. It'll only cause Emma heartache. Her prickings are not infallible, she might just actually be ill. She'll take a nap while they drive back to Boston and feel better by time they're home. She's not going to say a single word until tomorrow night when they pull out the wine bottles and hash it out so Emma won't have nightmares or doubts and Ada won't say a word that wouldn't prove her to be a fully supportive, caring, sister.

She takes one look at Emma, who seems determined to drive out of Storybrooke. Ada closes her eyes and leans against the headrest. It'll all be clearer after a few hours of sleep. She turns her head once again to look at Emma when something catches her eye.

Henry's storybook.

"Sneaky bastard," she says, unable to keep from smirking.

"What?" Emma asks, and then looks in the backseat herself. She's shaking her head as Ada tries to bend around the seat to grab the book when suddenly Emma gasps and jerks the wheel. Ada turns around to see, but by time she reacts they've already crashed into the Welcome sign and the world goes black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's Chapter 2! I'm currently working on Chapter 3 and I'm hoping to have that up not tomorrow, but the next day. And I wanted your opinion on something- do you guys want flashbacks like they have in the show, only flashbacks to Emma and Ada's various shenanigans? Because I feel like Chp 1 covered all the important milestones so I'm not sure if I want to go back and go into more detail with things there or plow ahead with the main plot. Thoughts?


	3. Venom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We search for Henry (again).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel I should warn you all before this goes any further: I'm not a fan of Regina's redemption arc. It's not so much that I'm opposed to the idea of the villain being redeemed (in fact, one of my favorite things this show has done was Ingrid and her redemption- it was beautiful and made me cry and smile at the same time), but I think they've done a horrible job with Regina's redemption arc.  
> They spent so much time making her deserve the title of Evil Queen in the early seasons (and I am sorry (not really), but I'm not going to sweep the whole Graham non-consensual sex thing under the rug because that was rape- he was unable to give consent, she had his heart, therefore- rape (and I think the way this show is ignoring that is a terrible way to go about it, and it plays into the idea that there are no such things as male rape victims and that is just wrong on so many levels), and then she killed him, since he amounted to about the level of a sex toy to her, because she didn't want to share her toy with Emma. I am extremely upset with the way that the show has swept his death and treatment by Regina under the rug) that now she's done too much evil for me to be convinced of her eventual redemption. Not fully at least. And the way they are currently writing her (and the way the writers keep trying to drag the heroes through the mud to make her and Rumple and Hook look better) is driving me up the wall. She falls off the wagon and immediately blames everyone else but herself- it was Snow's fault, or Emma's. They've ruined her life, never mind that Regina forced the Charmings to choose between letting Regina storm their castle and kill their newborn or make Emma an orphan, but an orphan who lived and was prophesied to reunite with them. Emma's life and how it has been up till now is entirely on the shoulders of Regina and I can't let that go because Regina has never apologized sincerely to anyone she hurt (and I could say "never apologized at all" except for that whole scene with Belle where Belle forced Regina to say "I'm sorry" before she'd help her) and ugh- as you can tell, I have a lot of feelings about this. And it's not just Regina, either. I've got more than a few things planned with Rumple and Hook as villains where they will have to work and be sincere to redeem themselves. I just find it a little more believable for those two than Regina- the mass murdering rapist who is probably the EF's version of Stalin to the inhabitants. Seriously- how many children did she send to the cannibalistic Blind Witch, and how many villages did she slaughter in her quest to kill Snow?
> 
> Regardless, so if it wasn't clear: I won't be working from a pro-Regina place and as much as I'll try to just stick to the canon facts of the show (which I will, because those canon facts are kinda what makes it hard for me to like Regina as anything other than a villain), I'm sure my opinions will bleed through because, well, I'm the one writing this. And Ada, in a lot of ways, is a voice for me in the story, since she's an OC I've added myself.
> 
> Ok, disclaimer over. I'm sorry if that's turned anyone off, but it's just how I feel.

When Emma opens her eyes, she becomes aware of exactly four things.

1\. She is in a jail cell. She is more than familiar with them, so she knows it on an instinctual level.

2\. There's someone whistling. What, she can't be bothered to figure out over her headache.

3\. She has a huge ass headache.

4\. Ada is not helping with number 3 as she shouts at someone, presumably whoever had put Emma in a jail cell.

"I'm telling you, Emma was not drunk."

"Buzzed driving is still drunk driving," an Irish accented voice calmly states in the face of Ada's I-will-cut-you-like-a-bitch voice. Something that Emma found herself unwillingly impressed with. For someone so tiny, Ada never had a problem cowing people. This guy must have practice with domineering women with attitude.

The whistling is beginning to feel like a knife shoved into her temple though, so she looks over at the source- a heavy set, shorter man dressed like a dockman who immediately returns her look and says "What are you looking at, sister?"

"Hey, Leroy-" shouts a third man with a heavy Italian accent Emma hadn't noticed till now, "Manners! We have guests! So," he turns to Emma with a pleasant expression on his face, "you are eh, Henry's mother. How lovely for him to have you back in his life."

"Actually, I was just dropping him off," Emma practically groans as she sits up.

"Oh, thank god you're awake," Ada says in a single breath, rushing over to the cell to bend down slightly and look at Emma's eyes, no doubt trying to check for a concussion. "how do you feel? Does your head hurt? Do you think you have a concussion? This idiot insisted on locking you up and won't listen to me when I say that  _she didn't have a drop to drink_." The last bit is directed at said idiot with a hefty glare.

"You weren't in the house with her, there is no way you can verify that," he responds evenly, arms crossed, a smile playing on the edges of his mouth as he observes the tiny natural disaster that is now probably making it her life's mission to make him miserable as payback.

"Emma would  _never_  drive drunk, not even after a  _sip_  of alcohol." And, indeed, Emma wouldn't. She had made the conscious decision a long time ago after hearing the details about Ada's parents. Drunk drivers do worse things than kill- they make orphans. And Emma is of the opinion that there are more than enough orphans in the world.

The man ignores Ada and walks up to the whistling man's cell. "Leroy! I'm going to let you out; you need to behave. Put on a smile, and stay out of trouble." Leroy gives a highly sarcastic smile and the Sheriff lets him out with a roll of his eyes.

Emma gestures to the bars around her and looks at the Sheriff, "Seriously?" she asks, annoyed.

"Regina's drinks; a little stronger than we thought," he jokes.

"I wasn't drunk," Emma insists, "There was a wolf, standing in the middle of the road."

"And did you see this wolf?" he asks Ada.

"I didn't see anything, because, like I told you, I had my back turned around grabbing something from the backseat. But I heard Emma gasp at something, probably the wolf."

"A wolf?" the Sheriff's eyebrows come together, showing his skepticism, "Right."

At that moment the Mayor's voice echoes through the station, "Graham? Henry's run away again," at the "again," Ada's eyebrows pop up- how often does Henry run?- because it certainly sounds like last night wasn't the first time, "We have to-" the Mayor enters the room and immediately spots Emma. "What's  _she_  doing here?" she asks with venom. Emma practically  _sees_  Ada's hackles rise up. This is not going to end well. "Do you know where he is?" the woman questions Emma immediately.

"Lady," Emma sighs, "I haven't seen him since I dropped him at your house."

"And," Ada chimes in, "She's got a pretty good alibi," with a gesture towards the bars separating her and her sister.

"But you don't," the Mayor accuses with narrowed eyes now directed at the redhead. "Who are you exactly?"

"Ada Ward, and, as a matter of fact, I have an alibi as well. I was in the hospital all last night," she says and gestures to her left arm which Emma suddenly notices is in a cast, "and came straight here. Not nearly enough time to kidnap a ten year old boy like you're implying. Are you this nice to  _all_  visitors to your town? It's a wonder you don't have a thriving tourist business."

The Mayor gives a sniff and ignores the redhead as she turns back to the Sheriff- Graham. "Yes, well, he wasn't in his room this morning."

"Did you try his friends?" Emma asks, sensibly.

"He doesn't really have any. He's kind of a loner."

Ada outright snorts, "Don't be ridiculous. Every kid has friends."

"Did you check his computer?" Emma questions next, "If he was close to someone he'd be emailing them."

"And you know this how?" the brunette questions with derision.

"Finding people's what I do," Emma answers, trying to remain calm as this woman succeeds in insulting both her and Ada thoroughly- just who does this woman think she is? "Here's an idea," Emma suggests, "How 'bout you guys let me out, and I'll help find him."

* * *

Within minutes they are in the mayor's house, Graham and Emma checking Henry's computer. Ada chooses to wait outside the house- the mayor still gives her prickings bad enough to make her feel ill around the woman and she has no desire to let Emma know, so she decides she should check the area under the boy's widow for a sign if he left the house that way. The Mayor, however, hovers over the Sheriff and Emma.

"Smart kid, cleared his inbox," Emma mutters, "I'm smart too, a little hard disk recovery utility I like to use."

"I'm a bit more old-fashioned, in my techniques," Graham admits pleasantly, as if they don't have Miss Mills breathing down their necks. Maybe that's why he is able to handle Ada's domineering so well, "Pounding the pavement, knocking on doors, that sort of thing."

"You're on salary;" Emma explains dryly, "I get paid for delivery. Pounding pavement is not a luxury that I get. Ah, there's a receipt for a website, —it's expensive. He has a credit card?" she questions, turning to the Mayor.

"He's ten," she replies in a way that is clearly a negative.

"Well, he used one," Emma says, examining the computer screen further. "Let's pull up a transaction record," she reads the credit card information before wondering, "Mary Margaret Blanchard, who's Mary Margaret Blanchard?"

"His teacher," the Mayor responds, a growl in her voice.

Is there anyone this woman actually likes? Emma wonders. It certainly doesn't seem like it. No photos of friends or family around the house except of Henry, who was often alone in the photos or with Miss Mills. Emma is getting a sinking feeling that, despite her best attempts, Henry really didn't get his best chance.

 _Nope_ , she shuts that thought down,  _Not gonna do that. I'm going to find the kid, go home with Ada, and we'll have some wine. Maybe several bottles._

* * *

"Miss Mills, what are you doing here?" the teacher in question asks with surprise as the group of four enters her classroom as students rush out.

"Where's my son?" Miss Mills demands, as though Miss Blanchard is a serious suspect in a kidnapping case. Personally, both Ada and Emma rather doubt it.

"Henry…" the sweet-faced woman trails off before answering, "I assumed he was home with you."

"You think I'd be here if he was?" the Mayor shouts, clearly incised. Ada is beginning to get the feeling there is a lot more going on here than a missing boy, "Did you give him your credit card so he can find her?" Miss Mills demands while pointing angrily at Emma. Ada's eyebrow shoots up and she's ready to tell the Mayor where she can put that finger when Miss Blanchard speaks.

"I'm sorry," she says to Emma, "who are you?" The woman is obviously confused, and Emma and Ada both can tell there isn't a hint of deception on her.

"I'm—" Emma struggles with how to answer that question, "I'm his—"

"The woman who gave him up for adoption," Miss Mills answers as bitingly as she can with one sentence. Ada's jaw clenches as she contemplates taking the Mayor down a few pegs. A child-  _her_  child- is missing and she's taking the time to insult the people helping her? With that kind of personality it was a wonder she ever got elected.

"You don't know anything about this, do you?" Emma asks Miss Blanchard, ignoring the Mayor for now.

"No," the schoolteacher answers, "unfortunately not." She goes to her desk and takes out a purse, searching through it before sighing, "Clever boy. I should never have given him that book."

"What in the hell is this book I keep hearing about?" the Mayor demands yet again.

"Just some old stories I gave him," the teacher tells them all, "As you well know, Henry is a special boy: so smart, so creative, and as you might be aware,  _lonely_ ," she directs that last one at the Mayor, confirming Emma's fear that Henry is rather isolated and the Mayor, at best, is not helping the situation and, at worst, is actively encouraging it. "He needed it," the teacher concludes.

"What he  _needs_  is dose of reality," Ada actually can't believe what was coming out of this woman's mouth. "This is a waste of time. Have a nice trip back to Boston," she tells the blonde and redhead before storming out of the room, knocking down a bunch of papers the teacher had stacked up on a desk. The Sheriff, with an apologetic face, follows after the Mayor, while Emma and Ada sigh and bend down to help the brunette pick up her papers.

"Thank you so much," the teacher says as they place the last of the papers back on the desk, before trailing off, "I'm sorry, I don't think I caught either of your names."

"I'm Ada," the redhead declares, sticking her hand out to shake the teacher's, "And this is Emma, of course."

"Sorry to bother you," Emma tells the obviously kind-hearted woman who had just received such venom from the Mayor.

"No, it's" the woman shakes her head, "It's okay. I fear this is partially my fault."

"How's a book supposed to help?" Emma asks, head tilted to the side in confusion. She'd never found any book particularly helpful, but she wasn't much of a reader and neither was Ada.

"What do you think stories are for?" the teacher explains with a smile, clearly loving the opportunity to spread some wisdom. Ada thought she must be a good teacher. "These stories? The classics? There's a reason we all know them. They're a way for us to deal with our world. A world that doesn't always make sense. See, Henry hasn't had the easiest life."

"Yeah," Emma adds, looking in the direction the Mayor had disappeared, "She's kind of a hard ass."

Ada snorts, "Understatement of the century. I hope she's not like that with Henry."

Miss Blanchard gives a pained smile to the redhead before moving on, "No, it's more than her. He's like any adopted child. He wrestles with that most basic question they all inevitably face: why would anyone give me away?" She suddenly realizes just who she is talking to and gives a gasp, immediately contrite, so much so even Ada can't get angry with her, "I am  _so_  sorry. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean in any way to judge you..." she falters as Emma waves her hand, more than familiar with the question the woman has spoken of.

"It's okay," Emma assures her, though Ada knows her well enough to see the pain behind her expression. Emma had hoped her son would be so happy with his adoptive family that he'd never even wonder about her or Neal, because they'd be meaningless to him, in the face of all the love he'd be receiving from whoever adopted him.

Clearly that hadn't happened.

Miss Blanchard began to seek to regain some ground, "Look, I gave the book to him because I wanted Henry to have the most important thing anyone can have;" she gives another small smile, "hope. Believing in even the possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing."

Ada was skeptical of that- both she and Emma had had hopes of happy endings crushed often enough that they had learned hoping for them only made it more painful when those possibilities were taken away. But she doubts the schoolteacher ever had experiences like that, though, so she smiles softly at the woman. She really is very sweet; Ada wished she'd had someone like her for a teacher growing up. Miss Blanchard seems like the type to care and get to know her students-

Ada's head tilts and Emma immediately looks over at her sister, wondering what was up. The redhead had that look on her face- the same look she got when she figured out a particularly hard puzzle.

"You know where he is, don't you?" Ada whispers with a smile at the teacher.

Mary Margaret Blanchard returns the grin before telling both women, "You might want to check his castle."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed that- sorry it started with a lecture. I really have a lot of feelings about the show and that tends to translate to keyboard abuse sometimes. I'm sure it's something we've all done for one thing or another. :D Regardless- please, drop a review.


	4. Castle Walls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The players get into place for the games to begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually do have two chapters for today! I kinda blew right through them, so it was either one ridiculously long chapter or chunking it into two parts which made a lot more sense and flowed better. So yay for me keeping promises! Ellie, this is for you. :D

"How do you want to do this?" Ada asks as they look over at Henry's castle, the outline of the boy sitting on it visible through the wooden tiers.

"I'll talk to him," Emma sighs, "One-on-one. Maybe I can get through to him."

"What are you going to try to convince him of?" Ada asks, examining her sister out of the corner of her eye.

Emma stalls for a moment, unsure. "Well, that he should go home."

"Should he?" Emma turns to Ada in shock, mouth open, but the redhead continues before Emma can protest, "I just, I don't know, Emma. This whole thing is really messy. It's one thing to wonder about your bio parents, it's another thing entirely to steal a teacher's credit card, run away from home, and hop a bus by yourself at ten years old to find your bio mom and beg her to save you. That's…pretty extreme. I have to wonder- he's a kid that, despite everything, seems pretty sweet and well-adjusted enough. I mean, sure, he's got the fairytale thing, but maybe that's his way of dealing. So if he's willing to go as far as he has to find you- what exactly is he running from?"

"You think she's that bad?" Emma asks her sister, shifting slightly on her feet.

"Do you?"

Emma sighs and rubs her forehead at the headache that's coming back. "A, I don't know what to think. She hasn't lied to me yet," Emma noticed Ada shift uncomfortably next to her. "A? What's up? There's something you're not saying."

"I didn't want to say anything because it's all already so complicated and Emma it was your birthday and I wanted everything to be perfect for you and then it all just spiraled so out of control and-"

"Ada," Emma breaks her sister out of her rambling, "Tell me."

"She gives me the prickings. Bad," Ada confesses in a rush.

"How bad?"

"Emma- my prickings aren't perfect or infallible-"

"How bad?" Emma asks again, turning to look in Ada's eyes, demanding the truth.

Ada swallows, "Like I've swallowed a bucket of scorpions and they're fighting their way back up.

"I want to barf every time she comes into the room, that's why I felt so sick when we dropped Henry off last night."

Emma is visibly worried. And turns to look at Henry. "I don't have any legal rights to him," she reminds herself and her friend both.

"But he has a right. He has a right to his best chance, and Emma, I'm kinda getting the sinking feeling this wasn't it. And I know you are, too."

Emma chose not to respond to that and instead began walking towards Henry, not sure what she could say to her sister without Ada immediately calling her out on lying.

And Emma didn't really want Ada to call her out on lying because then Emma couldn't keep lying to herself.

She climbs up the castle, still not sure what to say, and sits beside the boy she gave up ten years ago. "You left this in my car," she starts with, giving him back his book of fairytales. She never really knew how dangerous those things could be. Emma notices how Henry's gaze is fixed on the clock tower. "Still hasn't moved, huh?"

"I was hoping that when I brought you back, things would change here. That the final battle would begin."

Emma felt tired already, and there was no final battle for her to fight, so she responded, "I'm not fighting any battles, kid."

"Yes, you are," Henry insisted, "You're here because it's your destiny," Emma always hated the idea of destiny- that she had no control of her fate, "You're going to bring back the happy endings."

 _No pressure there_ , "Kid, that's a lot for just one person," she says, reminded of what Ada had said about what Henry might be running from, "Especially when I have to go back to Boston. I've got a life there, and so does Ada. We're not staying."

"You don't have to be hostile," Henry tells her, totally calm in the face of her trying to disentangle his emotions from her- she wasn't the type of person you should depend on. She sure as hell was no hero. "I know you like me, I can tell. You're just- pushing me away because I make you feel guilty."  _The kid clearly spends too much time with that shrink_ , is all Emma can think as Henry continues, "It's okay. I know why you gave me away. You wanted to give me my best chance."

The breath is knocked out of her at the boy's astuteness. It reminds her of how Ada sometimes reads her like a book, except this kid is pushing and Ada never does. Still, the comparison amuses her a little as she asks, "How do you know that?"

"The same reason Snow White gave you away," he answers, and the similarities she felt he shared with her sister are at an end, and her patience frays.

"Listen to me, kid," she instructs, "I am not in any book. I'm a real person. And I'm no savior. You were right about one thing, though. I wanted you to have your best chance. But it's not with me. C'mon, let's go."

"Please don't take me back there!" Henry begs, and Emma can  _hear_  Ada's voice in her head "what exactly is he running from?" as her long-lost son continues to plea with her, "Just stay with me for one week, that's all I ask! One week, and you'll  _see_  I'm not crazy."

 _Can't get attached can't stay not enough I'm never enough not enough you'll only disappoint him you'll only fail him he deserves more not enough never enough_ "I have to get you back to your mom," Emma grounds out.

"You don't know what it's like with her. My life  _sucks_!" Henry screams at her back. This is too much.

"Oh, you wanna know what sucking is?" she retorts, feeling anger licking up her insides with a red hot flame and reminding her of every time someone left her, "Being left abandoned on the side of a freeway; my parents didn't even bother to drop me off at a hospital!" she's seeing it playing out behind her eyes- Mary Swan telling Emma she can't stay with them any more- Emma hadn't even realized they weren't her biological parents until that day, "I ended up in a foster system and I had a family until I was three but then they had their own kid so they sent me back," she can see all the families who picked someone else; all the foster parents who failed in all the ways someone could fail a child; saw Neal promising her Tallahassee and then felt the cold metal of a handcuff on her wrist; then the same feeling of cold metal around her ankle as she remembers labor, frightening, painful, labor, totally alone, knowing that this time, she was doing the leaving, leaving before she ruined the  _one good thing_  she's done in her life; and then, like a flash, the anger is gone. Soothed and calmed as she remembers a voice shouting out on a subway, a second glass of wine on a coffee table, someone who looks out for her when she gets sick and has never,  _will_  never leave.

Emma takes a deep breath and tries to pull herself back into the present, where this is a little boy who looks so much like the man who broke her and acts so much like the sister who helped put her back together again stares at her and asks her to stay, "Look. Your mom is trying her best. I know it's hard. And I know sometimes you think she doesn't love you. But at least she wants you."

"Your parents didn't leave you on the side of the freeway; that's just where you came through!" Henry shouts, as if that makes it all make sense.

"What?" is all the blonde can think to say.

"The wardrobe," he reminds her, "When you went through the wardrobe you appeared on the side of the street. Your parents were trying to save you from the curse."

Emma's too tired, too drained, to keep up with this, and she doesn't want to shout at this boy, doesn't want him to realize that life is a lot crueler than fairytales, and doesn't want all her broken jagged edges to cut him in all his sweet, innocent, perfection. "Sure they were. C'mon, Henry," and the boy slips his hand into hers and she tries not to let her heart squeeze at that feeling as she leads him over to Ada and the bug.

She looks up at her sister, who waits so patiently by the yellow bug, and tries to memorize the feeling of security that washes over her at the sight of the red hair, colorful dress, and high heels that she always associates with her sister.

Ada bends down slightly, trying not to lose her balance on the heels, to gaze into Henry's eyes.

"Hey, kiddo, how ya doin'?" she asks.

"I'm alright," Henry replies with a shrug, "But the clock still isn't moving."

"Well," Ada says, "Maybe it just needs a little time to sort itself out."

The two nod at each other, finishing the cryptic exchange as Ada ushers Henry into the backseat of the bug and then takes her own place in the passenger seat.

Emma decides it was better not to ask.

* * *

Ada stands by the bug as Emma escorts Henry back into the mayor's house.

She was going to have to have a talk with that boy, she decides, and soon. Because he may have gotten adopted, but Ada was not convinced he was at all safe. It was also about time she do some research into what exactly Emma's rights are and what Miss Mill's responsibilities are. Because that boy- she wasn't entirely sure he was safe. And while she wasn't exactly concerned about Evil Queens, she was concerned about emotional abuse.

It was something she had experienced at the hands of various foster families, sometimes side-by-side with physical abuse, and she promised herself a long time ago that she would never turn her back on a kid in a similar position.

When the two are half-way up the walk, the door opens and the Mayor stands there. Emma lets Henry dash the rest of the way on his own- he blows past his adoptive mother, and Miss Mills turns to Emma.

They begin to chat, Ada can't quite hear what they're saying but then Miss Mills begins to shout.

" _No_. You don't get to speak," Ada straightens up at that- she doesn't care if this woman makes her want to puck all over her Jimmy Choos every time she gets close, she will cut her like a bitch if she starts those bullying tactics on Emma, "you don't get to do anything. You gave up that right when you tossed him away. Do you know what a closed adoption is? It's what you asked for. You have no legal right to Henry, and you're gonna be held to that. So I suggest you get in your car, and you leave this town. Because if you don't, I will destroy you if it is the last thing I do," Ada's jaw tightens as Mills whispers one final thing to Emma before turning back up the walk and to her mansion.

Oh she did  _not_.

"Do you love him?" Emma's voice comes across clearly as she shouts at the Mayor's turned back.

"What?" the woman repeats incredulously.

"Henry. Do you love him?"

Ada can't hear the mayor's reply, but she does see Emma's face when the blonde turns back to the car. And it is troubled.

"Did she lie?" Ada asks before she can stop herself when Emma is beside her. The blonde doesn't reply, doesn't even look at Ada before getting in the bug. With a sigh, Ada does the same. There's only one thing to do when Emma gets quite like that- and that's wait it out.

But it definitely was not a good sign for Henry. Pulling out her phone, Ada begins googling adoption laws for Arizona.

Well, childadoptionlaws.com- that seems like a good place to start.

* * *

Ada's more than a little horrified by time Emma parks the bug in front of a B&B that evening. She says nothing though, wanting to do more research. She follows her sister into the B&B, which had seen better days. Dust covered the desk with the registry, cobwebs linking pens and various other knick knacks together.

Good god, when was the last time someone visited this town? Weren't there out of town relatives or casual road trippers or  _something_?

"You're out all night," a voice yells from the floor above the two women, "And now you're going out again."

"I should've moved to Boston!" a younger woman retorts as she flounces down the steps, dressed to go clubbing ( _were_  there clubs in Storybrooke?), followed by an elderly woman who had registered the complaint.

"I'm sorry that my heart attack interfered with your plans to sleep your way down the Eastern Seaboard!" Ada's eyebrows raise and she makes a mental note not to mess with the older woman- she's got bite.

"Excuse me?" Emma interrupts before the, no doubt, family drama can continue. "I'd- like a room?"

"Really?" the older woman asks, clearly shocked, both Emma and Ada nod, and the B&B owner springs into action, grabbing a ledger from behind the registry desk, "Would you like a forest view or a square view? Normally there's an upgrade fee for the square, but as the rent is due, I'll wave it."

"Square is fine," Emma says.

"I'll just have the room next to hers," Ada adds.

"Now- names?" the woman continues, filling out the appropriate blanks on the paper.

"Ada Ward."

"Swan. Emma Swan."

"Emma?" comes another voice, and Ada jumps slightly before turning around to look- it's an older man, leaning slightly on a cane, and he reminds her of old mobster movies somehow. Her prickings act up yet again and she's wondering what it is about this town that makes her senses go haywire. "What a lovely name," he tells Emma with a small smile.

"Thanks," the blonde replies, unconcerned.

The B&B owner removes a wad of cash from a draw and holds it out to the man, "It's all here," she informs him.

Ada flinches back as the man reaches past her to grab the money, "Yes, yes. Of course it is, dear," he replies, "Thank you," he says in a way that conveys no gratitude before once again turning to Emma, "Enjoy your stay, Emma. And your friend, too, of course." With a nod at both girls (and was Ada imagining the look of confusion when he saw looked at her?), he departed. Ada felt herself relax minimally as the prickings died down.

"Who's that?" Emma asks.

"Mr. Gold," the young woman is the one who replies, "He owns this place."

"What? The inn?" Emma asks.

"No," the elderly woman informs them, "The  _town_." The pause that ensues gives Ada way too much time to remember every single horror story and Stephen King novel she had read that took place in small town. Fortunately, the older woman breaks her out of her musings by asking "So. How long will you be with us?"

"A week," Emma immediately answers with so much determination that Ada wonders at the significance of that amount of time, "Just a week."

"Great," the owner says, grabbing two keys from the shelves beside her, "Welcome to Storybrooke," she tells the two girls as they both reach out and take them.

They didn't realize it, but at that moment, the clocktower began to move.


	5. The Games Begin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Threats from Regina, who then gets a little taste of her own medicine.

Ada easily picks the lock to Emma's room and walks in like she owns the place. She can hear her sister in the shower and so flops down on the bed Emma's already tossed her pajamas out on.

A few minutes later, Emma walks into her room to find her sister, dressed in some pajama pants with Snoopy on them and a white tank top, lying on top of her own sleep clothes and staring hard at the ceiling.

"Get up," she orders, nudging the redhead off her clothes.

"Emma," Ada starts, and Emma immediately has a sinking feeling from the tone in her sister's voice.

"I don't like this," she tells Ada.

"Neither do I," she answers, "But I looked some stuff up online."

"Like what?"

"Like the fact that Regina Mills can't legally be Henry's adoptive mother unless she moved here from Arizona, but I asked Granny and she said Regina Mills had never lived anywhere but Storybrooke her whole life."

Emma stops completely, frozen, before sitting down heavily on the edge of her bed.

"Are you sure?"

"About Granny? She had no reason to lie and a damn good memory- told me Ruby's exploits for the past five years before she finally started letting me talk. About the law? It says," and Ada pulled her phone out and began to read, "Any adult resident of this state, whether married, unmarried or legally separated is eligible to qualify to adopt children. A husband and wife may jointly adopt children.""

Emma is silent again.

"Before you ask, I also double check on Neal's rights- he has none, he'd have had to filed for paternity within thirty days of Henry's adoption, provided he even got the notification since he had no address for them to send it to. Either way- has no legal rights."

"And apparently neither does Regina."

"What do we do?"

"Nothing."

"Huh?" Ada said, finally sitting up and staring at her friend, "I just told you Henry wasn't legally adopted and you say we do nothing?"

"Ok, we don't know for sure what went on legally there, there was probably some sort of exception."

"Or she kidnapped a baby," Ada hotly replied.

"Either way," Emma insisted, "She is Henry's mother- she raised him-"

"Yeah, so badly that he ran away to you to get help."

"Ok, here's the deal, we'll stay for a week, if something is really wrong, then we'll plan from there."

"Emma, I really don't like the feeling I'm getting here. Tell me the truth- do you think this is Henry's best chance?"

Emma was silent, before finally whispering, "I don't know."

Ada gave a sigh, "Ok, well, let's sleep on it, I'll do more research, and we'll see how things look tomorrow."

"Alright," Emma still hadn't moved.

"Hey," Ada shakes her shoulder slightly until Emma meets her eyes, "You're my sister, and I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Good night, Emma."

"Night, A."

* * *

The next morning Emma waits for Ada to barge into her room- the redhead takes forever in mornings, while the blonde usually just waits it out.

Hearing a knock, her eyebrows come together- Ada normally just picks the locks and waltzes in. Well, maybe Granny or someone else was in the hallway as well.

Emma opens the door and is shocked to see Regina Mills standing there, holding a basket of apples.

"Did you know the honeycrisp tree is the most vigorous and hardy of all apple trees?" the mayor begins, not giving Emma a chance to speak, "It can survive temperatures as low as forty below and keep growing. It can weather any storm. I have one that I've tended to since I was a little girl. And to this day, I have yet to taste anything more delicious than the fruit it offers," she grabs one apple and holds it out to Emma.

"Thanks," Emma says, taking it, hearing the door next to them opening as Ada steps out in a bright green dress and matching heels. Emma will never stop teasing the redhead for her obsession with bright colors and wearing them.

"I'm sure you'll enjoy them on your drive home," the mayor says, having apparently not noticed Ada.

Ada fixes that quickly, "Actually," she tells the brunette, "We were thinking of staying a while. Haven't had a vacation in ages, and Storybrooke is so charming," her voice shifts to a different tone Emma knows well, it's the I'm-so-charming-you-won't-even-notice-that-I've-made-a-fool-of-you tone Ada uses right before she delivers a crushing rebuttal to someone, "Especially the people."

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea," the mayor says, "Henry has enough issues; he doesn't need his birth mother around to confuse him."

"All due respect, Madame Mayor," Emma says, gripping the doorway to her room in an effort to keep herself calm, "the fact that you've threatened me twice in the last twelve hours makes me wanna stay more."

"Since when were apples a threat?" the mayor asks in a faux innocent voice.

"I can read between the lines," Emma tells her, no-nonsense tone firmly in place, "I just want to make sure Henry's ok."

"He's fine, dear," the mayor says in a sticky sweet voice that causes Ada's nose to wrinkle, "Any problems that he has are being taken care of."

"And what does  _that_  mean?" Ada asks.

"It means I have him in therapy. It's all under control."

"The same therapy you had him in before he felt the need to come running to Emma?" Ada immediately rebuts, "Or is this one of those "it has to get worse before it gets better" things?"

The mayor gave Ada a saccharine smile, "It's a process, Miss Ward," she then turns to Emma, "Take my advice, Miss Swan, only  _one_  of us knows what's best for Henry."

"Yeah," Emma responds, "I'm starting to think you're right about that."

"It's time for you to go," the mayor's voice hardens and the threat is clear.

"Or what?" Emma asks, straightening her stance.

"Don't underestimate me, Miss Swan," the brunette hisses, "You have no idea what I'm capable off."

"According to Henry you're capable of cursing an entire kingdom," Ada says in her sweetest voice, making the mayor actually take a step back, "So I think we've already heard the worst that can be said about you. And, one more thing, Miss Mills:

"You have no idea what  _we're_  capable of."

The mayor leaves, only slightly cowed, and Ada scowls.

"I really am starting to hate her."

Emma sighs, "You and me both. C'mon- let's get breakfast. Took you long enough to get ready."

Ada gestures to her ensemble, "This doesn't just  _happen_ , Emma."

Laughing at the familiar exchange, the two sisters lock the doors behind them and leave.

* * *

A few minutes later finds them sitting at the counter of Granny's diner, Ada finishing up some eggs and bacon while Emma flips through the Storybrooke newspaper-  _The Mirror_.

"Here you go," Ruby says, plunking a mug of hot chocolate with cinnamon in front of Emma.

"Thank you, but I didn't order this," Emma tells the waitress, before shooting a look at her sister.

"Don't look at me," Ada shrugs.

"Yeah, I know," Ruby gleefully tells Emma, "You have an admirer." Emma turns and sees Sheriff Graham sitting in a booth, putting down her paper, she grabs the mug of cocoa and goes to confront the man.

Ada swivels on her stool to watch.

"Ah, so you've decided to stay," Graham says when he sees Emma approach.

"Observant, important for a cop," Emma retorts.

"That's good news for our tourist business, bad news for our local signage." Emma says nothing, and the man begins to flounder slightly, "It's- it's a joke- because you ran over our sign…" he trails off as Emma's eyebrow rises.

"Look, the cocoa was a nice gesture," she tells him, looking down at the aforementioned, "And I am impressed that you guessed that I like cinnamon in my chocolate, 'cause most people don't, but I am not here to flirt, so, thank you, but no thank you." And with that, Emma sets the mug down on the table in front of the Sheriff.

He gives a small grin, "I didn't send it."

"I did," Henry chimes up from another booth, "I like cinnamon, too."

Ada outright laughs.

"Don't you have school?" Emma asks after sending a glare towards her sister for laughing at her faux paus.

"Duh," the kid responds, "I'm ten. Walk me."

Emma turns to Ada who waves her on before turning back to the remains of her breakfast and asking Ruby for another coffee. Seeing she had little choice, Emma follows the boy out the diner.

"So, what's the deal with you and your mom?"

"It's not about us," Henry seeks to explain, "It's about her curse. We have to break it. Luckily, I have a plan. Step one: identification. I call it, "Operation Cobra.""

Emma decides playing along is probably for the best until she can talk to Henry's shrink and ask what to do, "Cobra? That has nothing to do with fairytales."

"Exactly, it's a codename. It'll throw the Queen off the trail."

"So," Emma seeks to clarify, "Everyone here is a fairytale character, they just don't know it."

"That's the curse. Time's been frozen. Until you got here," Emma nods as she goes for a bit of apple. "Hey!" Henry suddenly shouts, startling her out of the motion, "Where'd you get that?"

"Your mom," Emma tells him.

"Don't eat that!" Henry insists before grabbing the apple from her head and tossing it away. Great, now Emma would have to pay for breakfast at Granny's.

"Okay, um. Alright," she turns back to the conversation, "So what about their pasts?"

"They don't know, it's a haze to them. Ask anyone anything and you'll see."

Emma nodded, "So…for decades, people have been walking around, in a haze, not aging, with screwed up memories." Did this kid also read Stephen King novels? That's just creepy. "Stuck in a cursed town that kept them oblivious."

"I knew you'd get it!" Henry cheered and Emma almost felt guilty for not actually believing in the whole curse-thing. "That's why we need  _you_ ," the boy insists, "You're the only one who can stop her curse."

"Because I'm the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming?"

"Yes! And right now," Henry plots, "We have an advantage. My mom doesn't know that," he unzips his backpack and takes out some torn pages, "I took out the end, the part with you in it," He hands the papers to Emma, and she looks down at the illustration in front of her, it's a man- Prince Charming- tucking a baby into a wardrobe, cuts covering his body from a bloody battle, a stitched name- Emma- visible on the baby's white and purple blanket. Emma makes an effort not to be creeped out, "See! Your mom  _is_  Snow White!"

"Kid," Emma begins.

"I know the hero never believes at first," Henry tells her with passion, looking up at her and for a moment, Emma  _believes_ \- not in the curse, but that this boy truly sees something heroic, something worthy of the title  _Savior_  in her. "If they did, it wouldn't be a very good story. If you need proof, take them, read them. But whatever you do,  _don't_  let her see these pages. They're dangerous. If she finds out who you are…then it would be bad." They've reached the school and Henry suddenly breaks out of his seriousness to give her a sweet grin, "I gotta go, but I'll find you later and we can get started. I knew you'd believe me!"

"I never said I did!" Emma argues as he begins to turn towards school.

"Why else would you be here?" Henry replies as he runs to class.

Miss Blanchard comes up to Emma at that moment, "It's good to see his smile back," the teacher remarks pleasantly.

"I didn't do anything," Emma defends, used to people accusing rather than complimenting her.

"You stayed," the teacher replies. And Emma can understand that- she knows the power that someone staying can have. After all, the only person who ever stayed with her was Ada, "So," the teacher's voice breaks Emma out of her thoughts, "Does the mayor know you're still here?"

"Oh, she knows," Emma sighs, "What's her deal? She's not a great people person- how'd she get elected?" It was true- not one person Emma had met had a nice thing to say about the Mayor, but they all seemed to fear her. And Mr. Gold.

"She's been Mayor as long as I can remember," the woman remarks with a shrug, and Emma is suddenly reminded of Henry's theories "It's a haze to them," he had said, but Emma shook that thought out of her head and refocused on Miss Blanchard, "No one's ever been brave enough to run against her. She inspires quite a bit of... well, fear. I'm afraid I only made that worse by giving Henry that book and now he thinks she's the Evil Queen."

"Who does he think you are?" Emma asked, if only to get Henry's voice about hazed memories out of her head. You forget things after a while, she reasons, nothing weird about that.

"It's silly," the teacher says with a touched smile.

Emma gives a laugh and gestures to the walk she'd just had with Henry, "I just got five minutes of silly. Lay it on me."

Mary Margaret Blanchard gives Emma one of the nicest smiles the blonde had ever seen before confessing, "Snow White."

Emma is more than a little stunned- this is who Henry thinks is her mother? The school bell rings.

"Who does he think you are?" Mary Margaret asks.

Emma almost says it- almost talks about his theory that she's the savior. But Henry's voice comes back and reminds her about Operation Cobra and keeping it all a secret. And the blonde gives a shrug, "I'm not in the book." She decides it's time she figure out what to do- and she doesn't have a psych degree to deal with this appropriately, "Can I ask you a favor? Regina mentioned the kid's in therapy; do you know where I can find the doctor?"

* * *

"For the twentieth time, yes, Emma, I think this is a good idea," Ada tries (and fails) not to roll her eyes at her friend's waffling. Emma is torn between investigating every aspect of Henry's life to make sure everything is perfect, and keeping herself as distant as possible for both her and Henry's sake, still convinced it is all going to blow up in her face and she is never any good to anyone.

Ada really hates every foster family, but she finds she particularly loathes the Swans and Neal when Emma gets like this.

Emma knocks on the office door and enters with Ada; Dr. Hopper is sitting on a comfortable looking chair reading when they enter.

"Hey," Emma begins.

"Emma Swan," the therapist stands up, greeting both women, "And Miss Ward," he turns back to Emma, "I was just, uh, reading about you," he gestures to his newspaper that has the title "Stranger Destroys Historic Sign- Alcohol Involved" with a less-than-flattering mug shot of Emma. "Let me guess, you're here for help with a little, uh, post-traumatic stress?" he chuckles before setting the paper down, and Ada remembers that Henry had decided this man was Jiminy Cricket as he continues, "That diagnosis was free, by the way."

Emma laughs and corrects him, "No, I'm, uh, here about Henry."

"I'm sorry- I really shouldn't-" the therapist begins, but Ada cuts him off.

"Listen, we understand your whole doctor-patient confidentiality thing, but that's not why we're here. It's more about...advice, in relation to Henry."

"This whole fairytale thing is crazy," Emma adds.

"I -I hope you don't talk that way in front of him," Archie says, running a hand through his hair, "The word "crazy" is um... quite damaging. These stories- they're his language. He has no idea how to express complex emotions so he's translating as best he can, this is how he communicates. He's using this book to help deal with his problems."

"But he got the book a month ago," Emma tells him.

"Has he been seeing you longer than that?" Ada asks, feeling concerned.

"Um- yes, yes he has."

"So it's Regina, isn't it?" both sisters say in unison. They exchange a look before turning back to the therapist.

"Uh- his mother is a... very complicated woman, and uh- over the years, her attempts to try and bring Henry closer have only backfired," he moves to a file cabinet, opening it and removing a file before handing it to Emma, "Why don't you take a look at the file. Um... see what I mean."

Both woman look at the file before Ada asks. "Why are you doing this?"

"Well, Miss Swan here- he talks about you a lot. You're very important to him."

"Thank you," Emma says, bringing the file closer to her.

"Just uh... see that I get it back, okay?" he opens the door for the two women as they begin to leave, "Miss Swan," he interjects one last time, "Just for the sake of the boy, be careful how you handle his... belief system. To destroy his imagination would be... would be devastating," Emma nods before finally leaving with Ada. What both women didn't realize was that, as soon as they had left the room, the therapist picked up the phone and dialed with shaking hands. "You were right," he tells the person on the other end of the line, "She… was just here."

* * *

Ada and Emma sat at the head and foot of Emma's bed with Henry's file spread out between them.

"What do you think?" Emma asks her best friend.

"I think we should take the shrink's advice and let him continue to believe- we don't want to do damage that can't be undone, and you and I both know what it's like to have people not believe you."

"You're comparing us speaking out about abuse to believing every person in his hometown is a fairytale character."

"I'm comparing exactly that. Dr. Hopper said it was Henry's language- we just need to figure out how to interpret it. Mary Margaret is Snow White you said? Makes sense- sweet, pretty, kind woman, makes Henry feel safe, surrounded by dwarfs-"

"You mean children-"

"And she's got the right look for it too! So if Henry says his adoptive mother is an Evil Queen, then we need to figure out why it is that she makes him feel so unsafe. What it is that has him categorizing her that way. You're his birth mother- the person he knows least about, so the character who doesn't get much story time but still has a central presence, the person who is supposed to save everyone- or, in this instance, Henry. He tells you you're meant to bring back the happy endings? I think he wants you to bring back his."

Emma stares at her for a moment, "You never should've gone back to school and taken those Intro to Psych classes."

Ada stuck her tongue out, "Jerk. Those Intro to Psych classes helped me become a Child Advocate and I like my job so there!"

At that moment, before the argument could dissolve into something truly childish, a knock came on the door.

"Since when are you so popular?" Ada asked Emma as the blonde got up to answer the door. On the other side was Sheriff Humbert.

"Hey there- if you're concerned about the "Do Not Disturb" signs, don't worry- I've left them alone."

"Actually, I'm here about Dr. Archibald Hopper. He mentioned you got into a bit of a row with him earlier?"

"No," Emma said, confused.

"I'm shocked, too," Graham joked, "Given your shy, delicate sensibilities. He says you demanded to see Henry's files and when he refused you came back later and stole them."

"He gave them to me," Emma protested.

"Alas," Graham responded, "He's telling a different tale. May I check your room? Or must I get a search warrant?"

"What?" Ada finally manages to pick her jaw up off the floor and stands, "Are you serious right now? The shrink really-"

Emma cut her off by opening the door wider for Graham and saying, "This what ya lookin' for?" with a wave of her hand to the bed.

Graham walks in and picks up a paper before turning back to Emma, "Well, you're very accommodating. But, I'm afraid, Miss Swan, you're under arrest. Again." He begins to cuff her as Ada fumes silently.

"You know she's being set up, don't you?" Ada manages to grit out.

"And whom, may I ask, is setting her up?" With that, Ada shakes her head and storms out of the room.

She's got a shrink to grill.

* * *

"So is there a reason you've decided to lie to the police?" Ada asks, entering Dr. Hopper's room without knocking, startling the man. "Because you seemed like the decent, law-abiding sort to, me so, imagine my surprise when my sister is being cuffed on your word."

"Miss Ward- I really must-"

"Nope," Ada says, holding a hand up, "I'm going to talk, and you're going to listen. I have no idea what it is about Regina Mills that has this whole town living in fear of her. Frankly, I think it's about time someone slapped her and took her down a peg. Or fifty. I don't know if she's blackmailing you, or threatening you, or even if she didn't have to say a word and just flat-out ordered you, and I don't give a damn. I just want you to know how  _very_  low you've fallen. Because there is a woman, currently getting her mug shot taken, who desperately loves a little boy, and has loved him since the day she found out about him, who gave him up for his very best chance, who now has to face the fact that that chance he was supposed to get? Wasn't the best  _at all_. Who now might have to face the fact that a sociopath adopted her child, that the sweetest, kindest little boy I've ever met, is being manipulated and isolated by the person who was supposed to love him and treat him with the utmost care. I'm no stranger to emotional abuse, Doctor, and I recognize it when I see it, and Regina Mills is bullying this whole town into submission. But you- what you've done is taken away an advocate. Someone who was willing to stand up for Henry, to stand with him instead of opposing him, and you're doing everything to help send her away from Henry. Henry is  _your_  patient, you are not only legally but honor-bound to do what is the best for him. And we both know Regina Mills isn't it. And that Emma has probably been the best thing to happen to that little boy in years.

"You didn't just send an innocent woman to jail, Dr. Hopper, you  _failed_  Henry.

"I hope Miss Mills makes it all very worthwhile for you. Because the little boy who thinks you are Jiminy Cricket, conscious personified, could not be more wrong from where I'm standing."

Slamming the door behind her, Ada left and went to the station, fully intent on bailing her sister out.

* * *

 

"You know the shrink is lying, right?" Emma asks Graham, unable to believe he could be that oblivious.

"To the right, please," the Sheriff instructs so he can take her mugshot, "Why would he lie?"

"The Mayor put him up to this," Emma insists, "she's gotta have something on him. He's terrified of her, like everyone else in this…" she resists adding an expletive, "town."

"To the left. Regina may be a touch intimidating," Graham defends, "But I don't think she'd go as far as a frame-job."

"How far would she go?" Emma questions, and the Sheriff is silent, "What does she have her hands in?"

"Well, she's the Mayor," he shrugs, "She has her hands in everything."

"Including the police force?" Ada asks as she waltzes in. Graham flashes her an annoyed look and starts to reply, but is interrupted by Henry running in.

"Hey!" the boy shouts.

"Henry!" Graham says in surprise, "Henry, what are you doing here?" he asks the boy who runs up to Ada and Emma.

"His mother told him what happened," Miss Blanchard, who followed Henry in, tells them.

"Of course she did," Ada sighs.

"Henry- I don't know what she said-"

But the boy cuts her off, "you're a  _genius_."

"What?" both Emma and Ada ask.

"I know what you were up to," Henry explains. "You were gathering information, for…Operation Cobra," he whispers the last bit, and Emma smiles. It's not often she finds someone willing to have faith in her. The fact that it's Henry just makes the feeling that much more precious.

"I'm sorry," Graham says, shaking his head slightly, "I'm…a bit lost."

"It's need-to-know, Sheriff," Henry explains, causing the man to smile down on the ten-year-old. And really, who wouldn't be charmed? "And all you need to know is that Miss Blanchard's gonna bail her out."

"You are?" Emma asks, immediately on the defense. "Why?"

"I, uh, trust you," the teacher says, and Ada smiles at her.

Ada laughs, "Miss Blanchard, thank you, but you can keep your savings in the bank, I've got enough to post bail already. But, really," she looks the teacher in the eye, not sure the woman will ever understand how much what she's offered to do means, "Thank you."

"Well," Emma says, turning to Graham, "If you can uncuff me," she shoves her manacled hands towards the man, "I have something to do." Ada grins- she knows what that tone of voice means, and it's usually something delightfully destructive.

* * *

Ada sits with Marco in his shop as she waits for Emma to return with the man's chainsaw. Ada finds the old Italian man completely delightful and chats with him. Remembering Henry's theories on the people, she begins to ask questions.

"So, I take it from that accent you're not from around here?" she begins.

"No, ah, I'm from Sicily originally," the older man smiles at her as he begins work on a repair job.

"Really? When'd you move to Storybrooke?"

The man pauses in his work, thinking back, "I, ah…I'm not…uh. It's all a bit, eh, hazy. Long time ago," he gives a shrug.

"You don't have any kids, Marco?" she asks, looking around the shop- the man clearly has a talent for woodcraft- he's got various carved knick knacks spread around the show, including some toys that appear totally unused.

"No, ah, my wife and I, we were never, ah, blessed."

"You're wife- where's she?"

"She passed, ah, some time ago?"

"Oh?" Ada asks, "When?"

"Oh, many years, it's a bit, ah, hazy."

And that's when Ada gets a strange combination of chills and prickings that make goosebumps appear all over her arms.

"You, ah, cold, Miss Ward?" Marco asks, "I have a jacket if you, ah, wish?"

"Oh, no, Marco- thank you. And you can call me Ada."

He gives a little shrug and Emma walks into the shop then, restoring Ada's feeling of normal balance.

"Thanks for this, Marco," the blonde says, putting the chainsaw up on the counter.

"You have fun?" Ada asks, grinning at her friend.

"Picking apples was never so easy," Emma tells her. Marco just gives the girls a little secretive grin and a wink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Marco- I find him so wonderful and such an interesting character. Seriously. Though, they have so many interesting characters on OUAT.
> 
> Regardless- I hope you enjoyed reading the start of the "final battle," as Henry would call it, and please, leave a review behind!


	6. The Winds of Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saying you believe is a step closer to actually believing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this chapter marks the first two episodes of OUAT completed. Next up is Snow Falls. I'm pretty excited about it. And I love what I'm plotting with Mr. Gold, but we won't be seeing that come up for a while yet. But here we've got some Swan Believer bonding & Ada's getting in on Operation Cobra!

"Picking apples, god, that's genius. Totally illegal, but genius," Ada tells Emma as she leans against the wall. They're back at the B&B, and Emma's chuckling as she unlocks the door to her own room.

"Miss Swan?" Both sisters look to see Granny standing in the hallway, looking decidedly uncomfortable.

"Granny?" Ada asks, "Is something wrong?"

"Oh my, this is terribly awkward. I need to ask you to leave," Both girls' faces show their shock. Granny explains further after shifting uncomfortably on her feet, "I'm afraid we have a "No felons"-rule. It... it turns out it's a city ordinance."

"Let me guess," Emma muttered, "the Mayor's office just called to remind you."

Granny nods, looking incredibly apologetic. "You can gather your things," the kind-hearted woman says, "But I need to have your room key back."

Emma hands Granny her key and Ada reaches for her own.

"Here's mine, Granny," she says, handing it over. The old woman looks at Ada, stunned, and a bit confused.

"The ordinance doesn't apply…" she trails off.

"Yup, but where Emma goes, I go," the redhead informs the old woman, who looks at Ada with something like pride in her eyes, and respect.

"Ada, I get what you're doing here," Emma says, "But you're just going to make the bug more crowded than it already will be. Just…stay here. OK?"

Ada stares at Emma, who keeps eye contact. Granny watches with amusement as the two sisters have a competition over who will break first. Eventually Ada, who sees the wisdom in Emma's argument, even if she doesn't like it, huffs and takes her key back from Granny.

"I don't like it," she mutters to her sister.

"I know," the blonde replies, "But you'll do it anyways because you love me."

"Damn right I do," the redhead says, "Now, come on, I'll help you gather your stuff and we can keep some of it with me. Nothing prevents her from visiting me, right, Granny?"

"Nothing I know about," the old woman says jovially grinning at the two girls before leaving them to it.

"Thanks," Emma mutters as they pick up the few things she has on her- not much, all told, this was supposed to be a short one-night trip tops.

"No problem, but this is why I told you to always keep a spare bag in the bug with extra clothes. See, I'm not forced to wear the same outfit everyday because  _I_  thought ahead."

"That wasn't what I was talking about," Emma says with a shake of her head, "Though, thanks for that too. I was talking about the where-she-goes-I-go thing."

Ada stops what she's doing and turns to look at Emma. Not many people know Emma Swan well enough to read her, but Ada's Emma's sister, and as such has an inside track to the mind of Emma Swan. The blonde is sincerely astonished, sincerely thankful, and mostly just awed that someone cares for her so much.

With a healthy dose of awkward, of course, because Emma Swan does not  _do_  emotional.

Ada smiles softly before promising, "Someday, I'm gonna make it so you're not surprised when someone is willing to stick by you through thick and thin."

Emma returned the grin, but looked away, "I almost believe you."

Ada gave a happy little shrug, "Good enough for now."

* * *

When Ada and Emma get to the bug, both girls are more than a little annoyed to find it booted.

Emma's phone rings. "Yeah?" she answers.

"Miss Swan," says the voice of Regina Mills, "I'd be happy to keep demonstrating my power, but am I right in guessing your resolve to stay is only growing?"

"You have no idea," Emma seethes. Going after her is one thing- going after the bug is whole new level. This woman is a bully, straight and simple. Wielding all her power (illegally this time, since Emma's car had no reason to be booted) to get her way and intimidate everyone into dancing to her tune. Emma was not interested in playing along.

"Well then," Mayor Mills remarks, like she's commenting on the weather. "I think it's time we made peace. Why don't you drive over to my office," at that sentence, Emma slams the door shut to the bug, "Or walk, whatever suits you."

Emma hangs up and turns to Ada.

"Lemme guess," the redhead remarks dryly, leaning up against the car, "Queen Bitch herself?"

"She says she wants to "make peace.""

Ada straightens at that. "What?"

"Told me to come over."

"It's a trap."

Emma looks at her sister in shock, "You do realize there is a line, and you just crossed it into crazy paranoid territory?"

"Not like that," Ada shook her head, "But there is no way she's  _actually_  going to make peace with you. This is another ploy. To what end exactly, I don't know, but I do know that the end result of this meeting is going to be about as  _far_  from peace as you can get."

"You really think that's what this is?"

"Emma, she just booted the bug. She's got the upper hand currently, she's not going to fold  _now_."

"Ok, so what could she be planning?"

"Recon at the most innocent? Drug and kidnapping at the least? I don't know! All I know is she is Queen Bitch crazy and I don't like her and she gives me bad prickings and there is no way this can end well."

"Alright, listen, either way I'm going, so I'll be careful."

"Watch what you say, you can be a bit impetuous. Don't give her any ammo."

"I promise I'll be careful."

"Ugh. I don't like this."

"I know you don't, you'll have to live with it."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Ada offers.

"So what?" Emma retorts, already walking away, "You can barf all over her upholstery? No, I'll handle this on my own."

"You will do no such thing- you will call me as soon as it is over and tell me everything that happened."

Emma rolled her eyes, but fifteen minutes later ended up doing just that as she stormed out of the Mayor's mansion.

"She brought Henry into it," she hissed over the line before her sister even had a chance to say hello.

"What?" Ada's voice goes into what Emma mentally refers to as the "danger register." It's a particular inflection that Ada only goes into when she is  _severely_  ticked off. It usually makes people who recognize it run for cover. Even if it's not aimed at them.

"She was talking to me, about Henry's curse theory, and she arranged it so Henry would be behind me and hear me say that the curse thing was crazy. Henry took that to mean I thought  _he_  was crazy. She has no soul. Forget me- how could she do that to  _Henry_?"

"Archie said the word "crazy" would be very damaging, damn it! That bitch!"

"What do I do?" Emma asked.

Ada groaned, "Emma, I  _told you_  to watch your  _words_  not to give her  _ammo_!"

"I know I know and you can say I told you so later but give me advice now!"

"You can't leave," Ada immediately says, knowing that Emma was automatically going to jump to that as Henry's best option.

"But this is all happening because I came here. I'm the one who used the damn "c" word and god, he's never gonna want to talk to me again after this."

"Emma Swan, if you leave that little boy now who do you think is going to protect him?"

Emma was silent.

"I know you love him. I know you love him more than life itself," Ada continued, "But if you leave, the only person he'd have batting for him, is his teacher, who, may I just point out, is just as bullied by Regina as Henry is. As this whole town is. Archie Hopper  _failed_  Henry when he turned you in. He did. No two ways about it. If his  _therapist_  is willing to turn his back on Henry at Queen Bitch's command, do you think she can't bully  _anyone_  into submission? You are the only person Henry has in his corner. Truly."

"There's you," Emma sighs into the phone.

"Emma, I'm in  _your_  corner. Always have been, always will be. If you do end up leaving tonight, I will lecture you for the rest of  _eternity_. But I will follow you.

"After calling child protective services, of course," Ada adds after a pause.

Emma swallows back the few tears that spring to her eyes at her sister's words.

"I love you, Emma Swan. And, because of that, I love Henry. We can't leave him. We can't do to him what was done to us. He  _needs_  someone in his corner. And as long as you're around, he's got  _two_. So, we need to talk to Henry. Specifically, you do, but I'll come along if you need me."

"He should be at therapy now."

"Well, I've already suitably frightened the therapist so… up to you."

"Did you lecture Archie Hopper for turning on me?" Emma laughed.

"You bet your ass I did. What? I was supposed to let him get away with it?" Ada scoffed, "As if."

"I'll meet you at his office in five minutes."

"Already on my way."

* * *

When the two women burst (again, in Ada's case) into Archie's office the man himself immediately stood up and began to attempt an explaination.

"Miss Swan. Look, I can explain. The Mayor forced me-"

Emma cut him off, "I know. Don't worry about it, I get it." Archie looked at Ada who raised her hand up between the two of them.

"Don't look at me. I still don't like you. Probably won't change my mind anytime soon so don't even try."

"Henry, I'm sorry," Emma says, crouching down before her son who sits on Archie's furniture.

"I don't want to talk to you," Henry says sullenly. Rightfully feeling betrayed.

"Miss Swan, Miss Ward, if she knew you were here-"

Ada cuts Archie off again, "To hell with her, there are things more important than her bullying campaign."

Emma sits near Henry and tries again, "Henry, there is one simple reason I stayed here- you. I wanted to get to know  _you_."

"You think I'm crazy!" Henry shouts, angry.

"No," Emma clarifies, "I think the _curse_ is crazy. And it is," she gives a sigh when she notices Ada's scolding look. "But that doesn't mean that it isn't true. It is a  _lot_  to ask anyone to believe in, but there are a lot of crazy things in this world. So, what do I know? Maybe it  _is_  true."

"But you told my mom-" Henry began, only to have Ada sit opposite Emma and smile at him.

"Exactly what she needed to hear. She's not going to suspect a thing if she thinks we're all non-believers. That's the only way to trick her so we can break the Curse."

"You believe?" Henry asks, eyes wide, "But you're not even in the book."

Ada shrugs and gives a cocky smile, "Yeah, but I think I'm pretty awesome anyways. Besides, I'm always on Emma's side. And now, that means, I'm on yours." She reaches out a hand to shake his. "Mind if I get in on the operation?"

Henry shoots a look at Emma who shrugs, "She's pretty much my sister," she tells the boy. Henry grins and takes Ada's hand.

"Brilliant!" Henry shouts, "You threw her off the trail now!"

"We both read the pages, Henry," Emma tells him, holding out the torn storybook pages, "And you're right- they are dangerous. There's only one way to make sure that she never sees them." With those words, Emma tosses the papers into Archie's fireplace, where they quickly burn.

"Now  _we_  have the upper hand," Ada tells the boy with a grin.

Henry gets up and hugs Emma, who Ada can tell is cherishing the embrace from her son, "I knew you were here to help me!" Henry exclaims into Emma's hair.

"That's right, kid," Emma tells him, hugging him back, "We both are." She pulls back from the hug to look him in the eyes, "And  _nothing_ , not even a curse, is gonna stop that."

Smiling, Henry just hugs his birth mother again.

The trio exit Dr. Hopper's office and stroll down main street together, Ada mostly silent as she watches Emma interact with Henry. Emma's son. Wow.

Things were certainly going to be changing for Henry. And, if she had any say, it would be for the better.

* * *

Mr. Gold, as he was known in this town, walked away from Mayor Regina Mills, as she was known in this world, casually tossing an apple behind him and leaving the Evil Queen standing in shock by her ruined apple tree.

Oh, things were changing, the future was shifting because of a new player.

And, ironically enough, it wasn't Miss Swan.

He'd predicted her coming, knew the rough outline of her path from the glimpses he'd seen of the future, but something had changed while he was under the curse before Miss Swan came to town. And that something was Miss Ada Ward. He'd done his research on the friend of the Savior, and he was intrigued. She was a new and interesting player, one he had not planned on. Normally that would annoy him, especially this close to the completion of his goal, but Miss Ward was exceptionally diverting, and he found himself amused.

The Evil Queen realized the Savior had come to town, or at least heavily suspected, but she didn't realize: Emma Swan's hidden weapon was Ada Ward. No one did.

Except Rumpelstiltskin.

And he always did like knowing things no one else knew.


	7. Get the Ball Rolling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mary Margaret seeks to help, without realizing she's the one who is being helped by Henry. A coma patient goes missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And "Snow Falls" begins! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter- quick warning, I'm about to go on break and I won't have internet access for most of the upcoming week it looks like. So there probably won't be any updates. Sorry, but- no wifi. *shrugs* What's a girl to do?

Mary Margaret is forced to wonder at her own mental processes sometimes. Like right now- what could have possibly possessed her to think a date with  _Whale_  would've gone well?

Maybe she is just so lonely she's become desperate.

God, she is desperate isn't she?

Mary Margaret spots Emma Swan's bright yellow bug- how could she not? It stood out like a splash of springtime color on a background of dreariness.

And now she's maudlin.

However, she is surprised to see Emma Swan herself sitting in the front seat of said bug, newspaper propped up on the wheel and flashlight in her mouth, reading.

Strangely enough, she's more surprised by the fact that Ada Ward is nowhere to be seen.

She can't help but ask, "Hey. You okay?"

Emma starts a little and turns of the flashlight, taking it out of her mouth. "Oh," she says with a slight grin, "in the world of tight spots I've been in, crashing in my car doesn't even rank in the top ten."

Mary Margaret finds that statement more worrying than relieving as Emma no doubt intended it. "You're sleeping here?" she asks. She doesn't think she's ever known anyone who sleeps in their car. Is that a more common thing outside small towns? Emma certainly doesn't seem think it odd. "And where's Ada? I was beginning to think you two were surgically attached at the hip," the teacher jokes.

Emma gives a grin, "Yeah, this town doesn't seem to have any vacancies. None, actually. Is that normal?" she asks.

"Must be the curse," Mary Margaret jokes.

"Must be," Emma returns, before answering the brunette's other question. "And Ada's still in the B&B- she wanted to join but I told her she'd just be taking up extra backseat room that I could be using. She finds logic difficult to argue with. Not that she didn't try," she gives a grin, thinking of her sister's quarrelsome streak. Less a streak and more a… real estate property of stubborn reserves. "Why are you out so late?" Emma asks the kind woman. Mary Margaret seemed the "early to bed early to rise" type.

"Well, I'm a teacher, not a nun," Mary Margaret tells her, "I had a date."

Emma looks at the obviously alone Mary Margaret walking home at a time that, while late, was too early for the end of a date, and dryly remarks, "From the look of things, it went well."

The teacher sighs, "As well as they ever do."

Emma could sympathize, "Tell me he at least paid."

Mary Margaret shakes her head in the negative with a hum.

"Ew," Emma immediately replies. She and Ada had had this exchange more than a few times- it is comforting in its familiarity. And Mary Margaret is nice and Emma felt a little protective over the timid teacher who seemed to barely withstand a tongue lashing from Madame Mayor.

"Well," Mary Margaret gives a sigh, "I guess if true love were easy, we'd all have it." She looks carefully at Emma Swan, who had joined her out on the pavement. Something about the blonde woman (probably the same something that caused Mary Margaret to inexplicably trust her), spurred the teacher to offer, "You know, if things get cramped, I do have a spare room."

Emma's eyebrows raise before her face shuts down all emotion, "Yeah," she begins uncomfortably, "I'm not really typically that good with roommates. I mean Ada's pretty much my sister and she's just as bad as me, so it's different. We do better on our own."

Mary Margaret nods, trying to ignore the disproportionally disappointed feeling in her chest, "Well, goodnight. Good luck with Henry," she adds on.

Emma is immediately distracted by the thought of her son, "Yeah…" she trails off, watching the teacher walk away.

Why does she feel guilty, damn it?

And Ada would kill her if she realized Emma had given up the opportunity to sleep in a bed with things like pillows and a mattress and a nearby bathroom because she was not a people person.

It was true that she and Ada did better on their own, but Ada often pointed out you could be in the same room as someone and be totally alone. In more than one way.

Ok, not going to tell Ada about this conversation then. Decision made.

* * *

Emma's really not sure why she ever pretends she's not going to tell her sister something. She always ends up caving.

In this case, Emma spills the beans as the two walk to Henry's castle to meet with the boy for an "Operation Cobra" meeting.

"You should've taken the offer," Ada immediately tells Emma, who only rolls her eyes, "I know you've got your whole lone-wolf thing, but Emma- a bed. With sheets. Pillows. A nearby bathroom."

"I know I know. I just-"

"Don't feel comfortable putting yourself in any situation where you might have to talk to someone besides me?"

Emma merely glares at her. Both girls drop the subject as they climb up the castle to sit beside Henry.

"I found your father," the boy immediately tells Emma.

Emma sighs "Henry…" she trails off. Ada lightly kicks Emma's shin and reminds her with a glare to be supportive, but constructive.

"He's in the hospital," Henry tells the girls, "in a coma. See the scar?" he points to Prince Charming's picture in his book, right on the man's chin where there is a small scar. "He has one, too," he tells them excitedly.

"So?" Emma immediately shots back, "Lots of people have scars."

"In the same place?" Henry asked, skepticism evident in his voice. Ada couldn't help but grin at how Henry obviously inherited that tone from Emma. "Don't you see what this means? The curse is keeping them apart with the coma. Now they're stuck without each other. We have to tell Miss Blanchard we found her Prince Charming."

"Okay, kid. Telling someone their," Emma struggled to explain, "soul mate is in a coma is probably not helpful," she sighed and tried to make him see. "Not having a happy ending is painful enough, but giving someone unrealistic hope is far worse."

"But what if I'm right?" Henry instantly shot back, "We know who they are. Now they have to know."

"Alright, Henry," Ada said, looking around Emma so she could see the young boy's face, "You obviously have a plan. How're we doing this?"

Henry grinned, "By reminding him. We have to get her to read their story to John Doe. Then, maybe, he'll remember who he is."

Emma took a deep breath, drawing both Ada and Henry's eyes to her. She felt sandwiched between the two gazes- one, full of hope, the other, full of  _knowing_. "Okay," Emma finally said.

"Okay?" Henry parroted back, uncertain if she meant it.

"Yeah," Emma said, giving in, "we'll do it. But we'll do it my way. Let us ask her."

Henry nodded, "Grown-up talk," he said disappointedly, as if he wanted in on it.

Ada laughed, "Henry, someday you'll get to hear and talk all the grown-up talk you want. You'll realize it's really not that great."

Henry seemed very skeptical of the whole thing, but said nothing.

* * *

Ada and Emma sat at the counter of Mary Margaret's kitchen while the woman made two mugs of hot cocoa with cinnamon.

"You sure you don't want some, Ada?" the hostess asked.

"She thinks hot chocolate with cinnamon is gross," Emma cuts in before Ada can politely decline, "Ada's a coffee addict."

"You say that like my coffee intake is a problem," Ada joked back, "And I can't believe you found more people who like cinnamon in cocoa. I'll have the occasional hot chocolate, but cinnamon? Blech."

"Oh, would you like coffee then? I can make some?" Mary Margaret offers, but Ada waves her hand.

"No, I'm fine- I had a cup before we came here. Granny's coffee is so difficult for me to turn down."

"I heard coffee stunts your growth. Knowing Ada, I believe it," Emma teased with a grin as she accepted her mug from Mary Margaret.

Ada stuck out her tongue.

"So you two want me to read to a coma patient?" Mary Margaret says after smiling softly into her own mug at the two sisters antics. Emma really wasn't exaggerating when she described Ada as "pretty much" her sister- in fact, Mary Margaret is getting the feeling that the blonde was understating the bond between the two women.

Mary Margaret finds herself a little jealous. She'd never really had a friendship like that- and had no siblings ever.

Ok, so she is more than a little jealous.

"Well, yes," Ada says, "It's really more Henry that wants it. He's convinced that the coma patient is your Prince Charming," the redhead gives a shrug, "But Archie has said that going along with Henry's version of reality is for the best- and I agree with him. Snapping kids out of stuff like this, it never really ends well. When a child latches onto an idea they're very tenacious- all human beings are. Having that connection snapped? Totally devastating. It's like…having a loved one die, almost. Something you depended on, something you'd thought would always be there, a part of you, is gone. You'd be taking Henry out of his realty and thrusting him into a new one. One that's unfamiliar and frightening.

"The key with children like Henry, generally speaking, is to allow the illusion- not to encourage it too actively, but play along, show an interest in it always, never condemn the child for it by any means, and do  _not_  act as if it's not important. It is vitally important to Henry, and so it should be for us. Transitioning is important. What we see in most cases is when the child is in a more stable place, physically as well as emotionally, once a lot of the problems in their lives are solved or given some sort of closure, the idea slowly fades away until it's just a memory. And a really good story he can tell to people- the story of Snow White, Prince Charming, and an Evil Curse."

"I'm thinking," Emma picks up, "You go read to the guy- we all play along, do what he says…" Emma trails off and Ada flawlessly picks up her sister's sentence.

"And Henry can begin to make some connections with this version of reality, weakening his need for the other. He slowly lets go, revises the story so it gets less and less absolute."

Mary Margaret thought over it- it seemed a shame to crush Henry's imagination, but she imagined that believing in a Dark Curse wasn't terribly healthy for the boy's mental state- especially around Regina. And Ada had said she was a child advocate, working with kids a lot, and Archie was a professional therapist, and if they both agreed to play along with Henry and let him slowly let go of the idea on his own- well, that was probably the best plan.

"Well.. sadly, this plan is rather genius. We get him to the truth without hurting him," she concludes.

"I told him that we will all meet tomorrow for breakfast at Granny's," Emma tells her after taking another swallow of her hot chocolate, "And you will give a full report."

Both sisters look at Mary Margaret, awaiting her final decision. In a brief moment, Mary Margaret could believe they were blood related- it wasn't about their looks, really, but more about the similarity in their expressions, the way they held themselves.

"Well, I suppose I'll get ready for my date," she tells them with a grin. "I guess I'll have to do all the talking."

* * *

"Thanks for the shirt," Emma tells Ada, pulling on one of her sister's tops. It's not really her style- brightly colored with a magenta sort of shade of pink.

"You're lucky we're the same top size," Ada tells her, grimacing at how the shirt rides a little higher on Emma than on her, "Mostly. Otherwise what would you do? Seriously- just let me go shopping and pick up something for you. It's getting gross."

"I can buy my own clothes, thank you," Emma retorts with an eye roll.

"Then for  _gods sakes_  why haven't you?"

In truth, Ada knows why- buying clothes would be too much like admitting she was planning on staying, which would be a step too close to admitting she wanted to stay, which would be another step too close to roots in another person rather than just Ada.

Emma is saved from trying to lie to Ada by the entrance of Henry, who grins at the two sisters before settling in a booth with them as Ada continues to eat her breakfast. Emma was just having a cup of coffee- Ada was the breakfast person, while Emma was just an eater in general. Both girls ate a lot and ate fast due to their time in the foster system.

"Henry- where does Regina think you are?" Ada asks after the usual greetings as she spears some scrambled eggs with her fork.

"Playing Whac-a-Mole," Henry replies easily with a cheeky grin.

"And she bought that?" Emma asks skeptically.

Henry shrugs and says matter-of-factly "She wants to believe it, so she does."

Ada stops eating long enough to cast a deep gaze at the boy, "Henry," she tells him in an odd tone, "You are a very clever boy- don't let anyone tell you any different."

Henry preens under the praise, but perks up even more when he sees Mary Margaret enter the diner. "She's here!" he announces to the table, prompting Ada to scooch further into the booth so Mary Margaret will have room to sit down- Henry and Emma are sitting next to each other across from her.

"Hey," Emma tells the boy as Ada reconfigures, "Don't get your hopes up- we're just getting started, okay?"

This statement is entirely bellied by Mary Margaret announcing before she's even fully seated, "He woke up."

"What?" Ada and Emma say in unision.

"I knew it," Henry cheers.

"I mean," the teacher clarifies, "He didn't "wake up" wake up, but he grabbed my hand."

"He's remembering!" Henry insists.

Emma, looking for a dose of reality, her master plan for helping ease Henry into a healthier mental state spiraling wildly out of control, asks "What did the Doctor say?"

"That I imagined it," Mary Margaret practically sighs, clearly annoyed at the implication, "But I'm not crazy. I know it happened."

Ada briefly has a sudden flash of Henry, the night they dropped him off, saying, "I'm not crazy," in practically the same tone as Mary Margaret did just now.

Huh, small towns. You probably pick up everyone's habits.

"We have to go back," Henry says, his eyes shining, "You have to read to him again."

"Let's go," Mary Margaret instantly agrees.

"Wait," Ada says as Emma simply goes "What?"

"If I got through to him," the teacher says, her eyes shining just as much as Henry's, so much so that Ada begins to wonder at the teacher's own personal emotional state- this…thing…with a coma patient? It speaks to someone who is lonely and desperately searching for a connection. "If we made a connection-"

"You don't believe…" Emma cuts in, before trailing off, unable to articulate it.

"That he's Prince Charming?" Mary Margaret asks, "Of course not. Somehow, someway, I touched him."

"Can we just..wait till I've finished breakfast?" Ada asks when it's clear Emma has been stunned to silence.

* * *

Both Henry and Mary Margaret were good sports about letting Ada finish her meal (though it took a while with only one arm- her cast was going to be on for some time yet) and her coffee before dragging the two sisters to the hospital to see this coma patient for themselves.

"You're right," Henry is assuring Mary Margaret as they walk into the ward, "he's waking up."

"Henry!" Graham says, sounding surprised, "You should stay back." Ada has time to wonder what the Sheriff is doing in the hospital- was there some sort of accident?- when Mary Margaret asks for her.

"What's going on? Is it John Doe? Is he OK?" Ada and Emma exchange a glance at the "John Doe," neither terribly comfortable with the way Mary Margaret's mind immediately jumped to the coma patient.

"He's missing," Graham has time to reply as all four of the group suddenly notice Regina herself coming out of John Doe's room.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she immediately hisses at the women, before turning to Henry, "And you- I thought you were at the arcade. Now you're lying to me?"

Ada was personally of the opinion that Henry had been lying to Regina for a long time- one didn't simply steal a credit card out of a teacher's purse without a little practice first, and running away from home itself was a form of lying, she supposed.

"What's happened to John Doe?" Mary Margaret asks, "Did someone take him?"

"We don't know yet," Graham immediately sooths the woman, seeking to maintain calm in the room (not easy with Regina noticeably seething), "His IVs were ripped out but there's no sign for sure there's a struggle."

"What did you do?" Henry accuses his adoptive mother, looking at her through narrowed eyes.

Regina is noticeably hurt and offended, "You think I had something to do with this?" she asks the ten-year-old.

"It is curious that the mayor is here," Ada points out in a flat tone, trying to keep all inflection out of it.

"I'm here because I'm his emergency contact," Regina shoots back at her.

"You know him?" Mary Margaret asks, surprised. Ada gives her a look- if the mayor knew him, would he have been a John Doe?

Sometimes Ada wonders if people ever think in a crisis of if they just jump from conclusion to conclusion willy-nilly.

"I found him," the Mayor corrects, "On the side of the road years ago with no ID. I brought him here."

Ada casts a glance at Emma- someone else found on the side of the road years ago with no ID. Well, except for one baby blanket that they were both more than a little freaked out to find drawn so clearly in Henry's storybook (not that they talked about it- both were still deep in the denial phase).

"Mayor Mills saved his life," Dr. Whale inserts himself into the conversation at this point. Ada exchanged a nod with the Doctor- he was responsible for helping cast her arm, after all.

"Will he be okay?" Mary Margaret sweetly asks the man.

"Okay?" Whale says, eyebrows hiked up, disbelief in every syllable, "That man's been on feeding tubes for years on constant supervision. He needs to get back here right away or, quite honestly, "okay" might be a pipe dream."

"Well, then," Emma replies, in her element- people finding is what she  _does_ , "Let's quit yapping and start looking."

"That's what we're doing?" Regina asks sarcastically, "Just stay out of this, dear," she says condescendingly to Emma, "And since I clearly can't keep you away from my son, I guess I'm just going to have to keep my son away from you," Ada thought that was rather unfair as, except for when he was missing and when she needed to apologize, each time it was Henry who sought out Emma. "I hope you enjoyed today, because that's all you're getting," she turns then to Graham, "Sheriff, find John Doe. You heard Dr. Whale. Time is precious." With those orders, she stalks out of the hospital, leading Henry away, as he casts a mournful glace at Emma.

"Doctor," Graham turns to the man, getting down to business, "How long between your rounds since you last saw him?"

"Twelve hours or so."

"Then that's what we need to account for," Graham instructs with a nod. Everyone heads to the security room where Leroy and another man introduced as Walter are both currently situated.

"You two were the only employees on the floor last night," Graham says skeptically, "And you say  _nothing_?"

"Not a thing," Walter assures the Sheriff.

"Did anyone walk by?" Emma asks, suspicious.

"I didn't see nothin'," Leroy tells her, arms crossed.

Graham turned to Mary Margaret, "Miss Blanchard, was there anything unusual you saw during your field trip with your class?"

Emma bends to get a closer look at the security footage as Mary Margaret answers in the negative.

"We're looking at the wrong tape," Emma announces, pointing to the screen, "This is the ward Henry's class put up decorations. If this was really the tape from last night, we'd see the banners the kids hung."

Graham took a closer look at the tape as if to confirm it for himself while Leroy immediately sold out Walter.

"Tch, you fell asleep again."

"You selling me out?" Walter asks, betrayed.

"Considering there's a coma patient on the loose I'd say we all have bigger things on the line than a security guard asleep on the job during the night shift," Ada cuts in before the two can get into it.

"Where's the real tape?" Graham asks sternly.

The tape is switched and they all watch with varying levels of amazement as John Doe gets up and just…walks out the door. Or maybe staggers would be a more appropriate word.

"He walked out alone," Mary Margaret breathes a sigh of relief, "He's okay."

"Four hours ago," Emma says, reading the time stamp, "Where does this door lead?" she asks the two hospital employees.

Leroy shrugs, "The woods."


	8. Crashing Through the Undergrowth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lost man is found, but lost again without anyone realizing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! I'm back from my internet-free vacation! So, there's an issue with me getting onto Tumblr, so I won't be there for the foreseeable future (I'm working on it), but I've got a chapter to help. So here we have it!

Ada, Emma, Mary Margaret, and Graham are all hiking through the woods, to Ada's extreme dislike (heels and forest did not mix well). Graham leads them all along, his eyes glued to the ground, tracking the escaped patient, while the women keep their eyes peeled in the surrounding trees.

The Sheriff comes to a sudden stop, causing Ada to practically groan in frustration- there is no way that was a good thing.

"What is it?" Emma asks Graham.

"The trial runs out here," Graham tells her, eyes still scanning the ground for further evidence.

Ada actually does groan, "You sure?" the redhead asks, "Because I thought tracking was one of your things."

"Just give me a second," Graham defends, "This is my world. I got it."

Ada looks down at her heels mournfully. Emma, noticing, smirks.

"You could go back to town," the blonde reminds her sister.

Ada grimaces, "As tempting as sidewalks are, I can't leave you to search for a coma patient without me. Also, I can't stop looking for a missing person just because I've got the wrong footwear. On the off chance I can help, I want to be here to do it."

"Damn morals," Emma jokes.

They stand in silence for a little while, trying to keep out of Graham's way, when Mary Margaret directs a question at Emma.

"What does he mean, "his world?"" the teacher asks, "I thought finding people was your thing, too?"

"Sure," Emma nods, "Just, people I find usually run places like…Vegas. Not a lot hid in the woods."

"That's an interesting job," Mary Margaret continues, for lack of anything else to talk about, "Finding people. How'd you fall into it?"

Emma shrugs, "Looking for people is just what I've done. As long as I can remember."

"She was the champ at hide-and-seek in every home she ever was in," Ada proudly shares with a grin. Emma rolls her eyes at her sister.

"What made you start? Your parents?" Mary Margaret asks, shifting slightly when her personal questions make Ada glare at the school teacher, protective instincts on the rise, "Henry told me that your… Th-that you were from a similar situation to his own. Did you ever find them?"

"Depends on who you ask," Emma mutters before Ada tosses an arm around her sister.

"She found me instead- a much better prospect," the redhead grins and winks at Emma, who gives a slight smile before turning serious as they hear a crack behind them and turn, eyes peeled for a coma patient.

Instead, they see Henry.

"Henry!" Mary Margaret admonishes, though the stern tone is slightly ruined by the surprise in her voice.

"Did you find him yet?" the boy asks with undiminished enthusiasm.

"No," Emma answers, not sure what to do in this situation, "Not yet. You shouldn't be here."

"Henry- it's late, and the woods can be dangerous. You might've hurt yourself trying to find us!" Ada tells him, stepping forwards as if to see if he had any injuries.

"I can help," Henry says, sidestepping her to look earnestly in Emma's eyes, "I know where he's going."

"And where's that?" Mary Margaret asks, not sure what else to say to that confounding statement.

The boy looks at his teacher, his face perfectly serious, "He's looking for you," he tells her.

Everyone is quiet for a beat. Henry launches into his explanation. "You're the one who woke him up. You're the last one he saw. He wants to find you!"

"Henry, it's not about me," Mary Margaret tried to insist, "I just… I think he's lost and confused. He's been in a coma a long time."

"But he loves you!" Henry practically shouts. "You need to stop chasing him, and let him find you."

"Kid," Emma sighs, remembering that this is a ten year old wandering around the woods alone at night, "You need to go home. Where's your mom? She's going to kill me and then you…and then me again."

"And then me for good measure," Ada chimes in.

"She dropped me at the house," Henry tells them casually, "Then, went right out."

"She left you alone?" Ada asks.

"Well," Henry said, a little offended, "I'm ten. What am I going to do?"

"Apparently run into the woods alone at night," Ada points out, quieting Henry slightly.

"Well," Emma says, hands on hips, "we need to get you back immediately."

"No!" Henry immediately objects.

"Guys!" Graham inserts, lifting something off the ground. It's a hospital bracelet, covered in-

"Is that…" Mary Margaret doesn't complete the question.

"Blood," Emma answers.

They all take off down the trail, Emma giving a nod to her sister, signaling what they need- division of labor. Someone needs to search for John Doe, but someone needs to look after Henry. Ada's heels make her detrimental for tracking down coma patients, but she can protect a ten-year-old. The two sisters make the decision in seconds with a single look. Ada holds Henry back as the other three adults take the lead. Blood is not a good sign, and she knows Henry shouldn't see anything too bad.

"Where is he?" Mary Margaret shouts as they come up to the Toll Bridge, "Can you see him?"

"The trail dies at the water line," Graham answers, and in that moment they all see John Doe lying in the water, apparently drowned.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!" Mary Margaret says as she continues to move forward, Ada tightens her grip on Henry and holds him back, trying to turn him away from the sight.

"I need an ambulance!" Graham reports to his cell, "At the old Toll Bridge, as soon as possible," as he's talking, Emma, Graham and Mary Margaret drag John Doe to the shore.

"No, no, no, no, no," Mary Margaret chants as she cradles John Doe to her, "No, no, no! I found you!"

"It's going to be okay," Emma assures the teacher.

"Help's coming," Graham tells them all, huddling over the unconscious man.

"Is he okay?" Henry asks, still struggling against Ada's restraining hands.

"Henry," Emma trails off, not wanting to lie, but still wanting to comfort.

"Is he going to be okay?" Henry repeats.

"It's hard to tell right now, Henry," Ada says, still trying to get the boy to look away.

"Henry, don't look. Okay? Don't look," Emma instructs, nodding to Ada, as the blonde kneels down beside the unconscious man.

"Come back to us. Come back to me," Mary Margaret softly says, before starting CPR. When the teacher's mouth comes into contact with the John Doe's, he suddenly gasps, waking up.

"You saved me," he murmurs, looking up at the teacher, his eyes wide.

"She did it," Henry cheers, jumping up and down in Ada's arms, turning to hug her in celebration, "She did it! She woke him up."

"Yeah, kid," Emma gives a small grin, glad for the happy ending, "She did."

"Thank you," John Doe says to Mary Margaret, his eyes having never left her.

"Who are you?" she asks.

John Doe seems to pause for a moment before answering, "I don't know."

"It's okay," Mary Margaret immediately comforts, "You're going to be okay."

* * *

As they load John Doe up onto a gurney Emma and Ada exchange another look.

"Ok, kiddo," Ada says, settling her hand on Henry's shoulder, "I'm taking you home before your mom finds out you're missing and Emma's gonna stick with John Doe- make sure everything works out."

"But-"

"No, Henry," Emma immediately scolds, "We're on thin enough ice as it is, and you never should've come out tonight- you could've been hurt."

"But I wasn't," Henry reminds them with a cheeky grin, giving Emma a suddenly flashback to Neal.

"But you could've been. You were very lucky- this whole night was very lucky," Ada inserts, seeing Emma blinking away visions of motel rooms and lock picking lessons, "Now, let's not end it on a sour note with Regina coming down on us all."

"Ok, but I want to know what happens!"

"We'll tell you tomorrow," Ada tells the boy, leading him away towards Mifflin Street, "But it is super late, you should be in bed, safe and warm, and so should John Doe and the rest of us. C'mon, kiddo. You've got a pillow with your name on it. Besides, you've gotta be exhausted hiking through those woods. I know I am."

"You're in heels," Henry immediately points out to her.

"Which is beside the point," Ada shoots back, and Emma gives a small grin as she hears the two gently bickering as Ada leads Henry away.

* * *

"Oh, it ended sour," Emma tells Ada when they meet up later by the bug.

"Lemme guess- Queen Bitch was her usual charming self."

"Well, they found John Doe's wife," Emma tells her sister, leaning up against the car.

Ada is silent for a moment, "Just now? That's a bit…odd."

Emma looks at her sister.

"Ok, more than a bit. They found his wife now? He's been in a coma for years- how many, no one seems bothered to count, but  _years_  and they just now find his wife?"

"I thought so too. Regina said they went over old tapes and heard him crying out for a "Kathryn" in his sleep, so they found her."

"Hold on- you're telling me this man has been calling a name in his coma and in all the time he's been under, not once, not a single time, has a nurse, doctor, volunteer, or anyone heard him? He's monitored practically twenty-four-seven and no one ever heard him call out this name?"

Emma just shrugged, looking away.

"What?" Ada asks. Emma doesn't respond, "No- I know that face. That's a bad face- I do not like that face. That face comes from something much more than just a weird thing with a coma patient's long-lost wife."

"I followed Regina out of the hospital to talk to her, tell her why I thought it so weird."

"And?"

"She said I should be glad they're back together, because it reminded her how glad she was to have Henry since," Emma sighed, "Not having someone is the worst curse imaginable."

Ada's eyebrow rose. "Does that bitch think she's the only one who's ever shed a tear? What utter-"

"Ada-"

"NO! We know being alone is the worst curse imaginable, we've been alone. You've been alone your whole life, Emma!"

Emma slings an arm around her sister's shoulder, pulling the incised redhead into a hug, "Not since I found you."

Ada, still ready to march into battle, hugged Emma back and muttered into her sister's hair, "And you never will be again. You'll always have me."

Emma lets go of the hug, "Sometimes I almost believe you."

"Someday you will," Ada promises. "We'll probably be ancient and living in the same retirement home organizing wheelchair races, but as long as you get there someday," Emma cracks a grin and Ada smiles as well. "Now, this sleeping in the bug thing-"

Emma sighs immediately, "Alright. I'll go see if Mary Margaret's spare room is still open."

Ada grins and bounces back onto the sidewalk, "There, now was that so hard?"


	9. The Wheels Begin to Turn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After sharing some inspiring words, Emma and Ada are hired to help a maid in distress. Henry tags along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo-hoo! New chapter! I've got a test in a couple of hours and to try and calm myself I wrote this. I'm actually pretty happy with it. I have pretty significant plans for Mr. Gold that start getting into motion in this episode- "The Price of Gold," and while the changes may seem minor at first, it's going to snowball into something pretty interesting (if all goes to plan). Hope you all enjoy!

Ada looked up from her crossword puzzle and grinned as Emma walked into Granny's.

"How was your walk with Henry?" she asked, setting her newspaper to the side.

"Good," Emma took the empty seat next to the redhead, "He asked me about codenames," Ruby walked up to the table, "Just a cocoa, Ruby, thanks," Emma said. Ruby nodded and went off to get it.

"Codenames?" Ada prompted.

Emma nodded, "Yeah- he wanted to know what to call me."

"Oh," Ada said with sudden understanding, "What did you say?"

"I told him to call me Emma for now," Ruby came up with Emma's cocoa, "Thank you," the blonde said as Ruby set it down. "And Graham stopped me along the way," Emma added.

"Graham?" Ada asked, "What did he want?"

"He offered me a job," Emma told the redhead, whose eyebrows rose.

"Isn't there some sort of…I don't know…application process or something to go through for that?"

Emma shrugged and sipped her cocoa, "Apparently not. Or maybe things work differently in small towns. He thanked me for the help in finding John Doe- I mean," Emma waved her hand about, searching for the man's name, "David."

"He  _is_  the only law enforcer," Ada mused, "Must be desperate for help even in a quiet town. Probably needs someone else to take the night shift once in a while. I think that job would be a good fit for you if you wanted it, actually." Before Emma could reply to that, the Mayor walked in, prompting Ada to roll her eyes and return her attention to her newspaper.

"How was your walk with Henry?" Regina asked, stepping up to the sisters' table. "That's right," she said to Emma, "I know everything."

"Good," Ada interrupted her, eyes still on her newspaper, "Then you can help me with this crossword. What's a five letter word for female dog?"

Regina chose to ignore the redhead and keep her focus on the blonde woman, "Relax, Miss Swan, I don't mind," she sat down across from Emma and Ada rolled her eyes, waiting for the fall out. She knew it would be too much for the Mayor to not have some sort of underhanded insult or jibe.

"You don't?" Emma asked, cautiously.

"No," the Mayor grinned, "Because you no longer worry me, Miss Swan. You see," she continued, her entire face looking relaxed and at ease, "I did a little digging into who you are, and what I found out was quite soothing. It all comes down to the number seven."

 _Don't ask don't ask don't ask don't give her the satisfaction_  Ada chanted in her head, but Emma, sadly, was not telepathic and asked anyways, "Seven?"

"It's the number of addresses you've had in the past decade," Regina explained, "Your longest stint anywhere was two years. Really, what did you enjoy so much about Tallahassee?" At the mention of that particular city both girls tensed and Ada's eyes left her crossword in an attempt to burn a hole through Mayor Regina Mills' skull.

"If you were wondering," Emma responded, trying to regain some ground, "I did find a place in town," she subtly reminded Regina of her tactics to kick Emma out of Granny's and trying to prove her stability.

"I know, with Ms. Blanchard," Regina easily replied, "How long is your lease? Oh wait. You don't have one. You see my point?" the Mayor grinned, "In order for something to grow, Miss Swan, it needs roots," she lectured, "And you don't have any. People don't change; they only fool themselves into believing they can."

"You don't know me," Emma practically growled.

"No, I think I do," Regina grinned, "All I ask as you carry on your transient life, you think about Henry and what's best for him. Perhaps consider a clean break. It's going to happen anyway," she shrugged and stood, "Enjoy your cocoa."

"Miss Mills," Ada called out, gripping Emma before she could stand. "If I might point out a flaw in your otherwise impeccable logic?" Regina tried to hide a grimace and waited for Ada to continue, "Emma has lived with me, consistently, for the past  _seven_  years- showing that she does have roots. I think we all know, Miss Mills, home is not a place, but a feeling, and if Emma's past decade shows anything, it's that she knows what truly makes roots is relationships, not places." Ada gave a feral grin, "Have a nice day, Madame Mayor."

Refusing to respond, Regina stalked out of the diner. Emma stood abruptly, still incised, and spilled her cocoa all down Ada's borrowed shirt.

Ada sighs, looking at the hot chocolate stain covering the magenta fabric.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing that pink isn't your favorite color," she commented. "Go put it in the laundry and I'll grab another shirt for you to borrow. I think I brought that green one. That'd look good with your blonde," she trailed off, speaking over her shoulder as she walked towards her room upstairs. Emma rolled her eyes and stomped into the laundry room down the hall which Ruby pointed to.

Throwing the shirt into the washer, she set the cycle and waited for Ada to get back, looking over she saw a girl, young, holding pink sheets and crying. "Oh no, no, no, no, no!"

"You okay?" Emma asked her, crossing her arms over her stomach- she hadn't realized anyone else was in here, and, while she wasn't a prude, it was still a bit of a surprise. Hopefully the young girl wasn't feeling uncomfortable or something.

The girl gestured to a sheet she was holding up, "The sheets, they're, uh- pink," she blinked rapidly, trying to hold back tears.

"You try bleach?" Emma asked when the girl lowered the sheet to show a very pregnant figure, "Oh," Emma sighed, immediately understanding. Hormones were a bitch.

"Last night I felt contractions," the girl said, absently stroking her stomach. Emma could remember doing the same thing when she was pregnant, before she would catch herself and rip her hand away- trying to make it a clean break, as Regina would say. "And the doctor said that the baby could come any day now."

Not sure of the girl's personal situation, Emma struggled to find the right thing to say, "So…that's great."

"It's just that, um, when the...," she blinked back more tears, "When the baby comes... no one thinks I can do this," she hanged her head, "No one thinks I can do anything. Maybe they're right," she sighed.

"Screw them," Emma said, and heard the same sentiment echoed from behind her. Both the girl and Emma turned to find Ada standing the doorway, green shirt in hand. She gave the shirt to Emma and stepped up to the girl's laundry basket.

"You dry these yet?" she asked, and the girl shook her head, "Well, then, easy fix- cold wash, cup of bleach, and they'll be right as rain. Might have to run it more than once, but," Ada began stuffing the sheets back into the washer, "It's just a few buttons to push."

Ada gave Emma a significant glance as Emma pulled the shirt over her head.

"How old are you?" Emma asked the young girl.

"Nineteen," she responded, watching Ada do the laundry in a bit of a daze, before focusing back on Emma.

"I was eighteen."

"When you-," the girl swallowed, "When you had a kid?"

"Yeah," Emma nodded, feeling a sort of catharsis come over her. Sure, she hadn't been able to back talk Regina (Ada had stood up for her and while Emma loved her sister she needed to also fight her own battles- though Ada would probably say Emma's battles  _were_  Ada's battles ), but she could give this girl some strength here- some encouragement. No one deserved to be told what they can and can't do. "I know what it's like. Everyone loves to tell you what you can and can't do  _especially_  with a kid, but ultimately whatever you're considering doing... or giving up... the choice is yours."

"It's not exactly what you might think it is," the girl said, smoothing her shirt over her stomach again.

"It never is," Emma shook her head, "People are going to tell you who you are your whole life. You just gotta punch back and say, " _No_ , this is who I am." You want people to look at you differently?  _Make_  them. You want to change things, you are going to have to go out there and change them yourself, because there are no Fairy Godmothers in this world."

Ada jumped up on top of the washing machine, "Listen," she told Ada, "No one has the right to tell you what you can and can't do. Well," she rolled her eyes, "Obviously, as long as you're not hurting anybody- exception to every rule and all that, but Emma's right. You think people haven't told…well, pick a person, any person- me, Emma, probably even Mayor Mills! I guarantee you, at some point in every person's life, someone has tried to tell them what they can and can't do. It's one of the more awful aspects of humanity, but the trick is- not letting that stop you. No one knows what you're capable of, not even you- not until you try it. So you just gotta do what you feel is right, do what is right for you and those you love, and give it 100%. If you are sincere and work for it, you'll find allies suddenly pop up when you least expect them," Ada grinned, "That's how Emma and I found each other."

"Really?" the girl asked, blinking back tears of a different nature.

"Yeah, listen," Ada leaned forward with a grin, "You need anything, you call me or Emma; we'll help. Granny can tell you where my room is, and Emma's staying with Mary Margaret- who is _super_  sweet. You need help? Ask us, we'll help. If you need Emma to punch someone for you? She'll do it. Trust me," Ada winked, "She loves punching people."

* * *

Meanwhile, across town at the Mayor's mansion, Regina was preparing to leave for a council meeting. "I know you think otherwise," she told Henry as she put in her earrings, "But I don't enjoy these Saturday city council meetings. Sometimes they're just unavoidable. Now, you know the rules?" she confirmed, looking at her son.

"Yes on homework, no on TV, and stay inside," Henry recited obediently.

"Good boy," the mayor grinned, before sternly adding, "Under no circumstance do you leave this house."

"You mean don't see my mom," Henry back talked, frustration evident in his tone.

"She's  _not_  your mother," Regina corrected him, "She's just a woman passing through. Now do as I say or there will be consequences," she gave a point before turning to leave out the door, "I'll be back at 5:00 sharp," she reminded him.

Left alone in the empty house, Henry immediately grabbed his backpack and left.

* * *

Ada helped carry the last of Emma's boxes into Mary Margaret's loft.

"I'm so glad my stuff is here," Emma sighed.

"You and me both- now you can stop borrowing all my shirts," Ada grinned. Mary Margaret handed both girls each a plate of food.

"Thanks," they both replied, immediately digging in voraciously.

"So, is that all your stuff?" Mary Margaret asked, looking at the few boxes stacked before them all.

"What do you mean?" Emma asked, looking over at her boxes then back to Mary Margaret.

"She means you're pretty much a vagabond you have so little stuff," Ada replied, stuffing food in her mouth.

"No," Mary Margaret immediately protested, "oh, no, I didn't mean anything like that, I just- I mean- is the rest in storage?" she asked.

"No, this is it," Emma replied defensively, "I'm not sentimental."

Ada snorted into her food.

"Well," Mary Margaret said, "I guess it does make it easier when you have to move."

Before anyone could say anything more, there was a knock on the door. Mary Margaret went to opening it, revealing Mr. Gold standing on the other side, with a small gash on his forehead.

"Ms. Blanchard," he said, nodding at the brunette woman, "Is Ms. Swan here?" Emma got up and moved to the doorway, Gold smiled slightly when he saw her, "Hello, my name is Mr. Gold," he told Emma, "We met briefly on your arrival."

"I remember," Emma nodded, and Ada moved to the door as well.

"And Ms. Ward, nice to see you again," Gold added upon seeing her, "Good, I have a proposition for you, Ms. Swan. I need your help. I'm looking for someone."  
"Really?" Emma asked, looking at Mary Margaret uncomfortably, "Um…."

"You know what?" the brunette jumped in, seeing Emma's distress, "I am going to jump in the bath," and she walked away, leaving Emma and Ada with Mr. Gold.

Ada's one eyebrow raised as her prickings acted up. She swallowed reflexively, trying to remain impassive.

"I have a photo," Gold said, handing Emma a picture. Ada peaked over her sister's shoulder and recognized the girl they had met at Granny's earlier that day. "Her name is Ashley Boyd," Gold continued, "And she's taken something quite valuable of mine."

"So why didn't you call the police?" Emma immediately questioned, suspicious.

"Because uh," he shrugged and smiled slightly, "She's a confused young woman. She's pregnant, alone, and scared. I don't want to ruin this young girl's life, but I just want my property returned."

It all sounded very…civilized to Ada, whose prickings were going haywire. She took the picture from Emma, subtly meeting her sister's eyes, trying to communicate her uneasiness. Emma gave a slight nod.

"And what is it?" she asked Gold, referring to the stolen property.

"Well one of the advantages of you not being the police is discretion," Gold smiled again, "Let's just say it's a precious object and leave it at that."

Ada looked askance at that remark- she doubted it was any illegal substances Gold was talking about, and her prickings flared up again.

"Wouldn't it be easier for us to find her if we know what she took?" Ada questioned the man, "Furthermore, Mr. Gold, it seems to me that a girl in Ms. Boyd's position is going to be mightily afraid of you. It might be easier to get your object back if we were to ask for it rather than handing the girl over to you."

"We?" he asked, "Ms. Ward, I'm only asking for Ms. Swan's services, you need not-."

Ada cut him off, "Emma and I work together. You ask for her, you get me as well. Packaged deal."

"When did you see her last?" Emma asked, realizing they wouldn't get anything out of Gold about the object.

"Last night. That's how I got this," he pointed to the gash on his forehead. "It's so unlike her. She was quite wound up," he continued, "Rambling on and on about changing her life. I have no idea what got into her. Ms. Swan, please just help me find her. My only other choice is the police, and I don't think anyone wants to see that baby born in jail, now do they?" Ada tensed and the subtle indication that Mr. Gold might just know more than he was saying about Emma. Ada swallowed in an attempt to keep her stomach down, which was rebelling as her prickings went wild.

The jab, however, obviously got to Emma, who responded, "No, of course not."

"So you'll help me then?" Gold asked.

"I will help  _her_ ," Emma stated clearly.

"Grand," Gold added with a smile, turning to go, when the door opened again.

"Hey, Emma, I was thinking we-," Henry cut off and went quiet when he saw Mr. Gold.

"Hello, Henry, how are you?" the pawnbroker asked, grinning down at the boy.

Henry answered nervously, "Okay."

"Good," Gold's smiled widened, "Give my regards to your mother, and um," he turned to look at Emma and Ada, "Good luck, Ms. Swan. Ms. Ward."

With that he left.

"Do you know who he is?" Henry asked both women as the continued to stare at the door.

"Yeah, of course I do," Emma responded, her eyes dashing to Henry.

"Who?" he asked excitedly, "Because I'm still trying to figure it out."

"Oh," Emma responded, "I meant in reality."

Henry was already looking at Emma's boxes, "Is that all you brought?" he asked.

"It's all she owns," Ada corrected the boy.

"Henry, what are you doing here?" Emma asked, tired of people picking on her things, or lack thereof.

"My mom's gone till five," Henry told the girls, grinning, "I thought we could hang out."

Emma's shoulders slumped, "Aw, kid, I wish I could. But there's something I gotta do."

* * *

They all trooped out to the street, after Ada left Mary Margaret a note that they were on a job,

"Please let me help," Henry begged.

"No," Emma immediately denied, "No, it could be dangerous."

Henry raised an eyebrow and asked skeptically, "The pregnant maid is dangerous?"

"She assaulted Mr. Gold," Emma shot back.

Henry grinned, "Cool."

"This isn't a game. She's desperate," Emma tried to tell Henry.

"How do you know?" Henry asked, still incredulous.

"Because I know," Emma immediately replied, not expanding on that statement.

"Henry," Ada tried to reason with him, "The thing is- she's alone and pregnant, seeing a kid around might just freak her out more. Emma and I met her this morning, so she'll probably feel more comfortable around us. She won't want to talk about her problems in front of a ten year old. She's frightened-,"

"Well, then let's find her," Henry said, marching to Emma's bug. The two sisters followed.

"Oh no, no, no, no," Emma told the boy, "There is no "let's". You cannot come with me."

"Then I'll look for her myself," Henry fired back, arms crossing, knowing he had the upper hand.

"Then I'll find you and I'll bring you back," Emma returned.

"Then you wouldn't be helping the maid," Henry grinned as he verbally checked Emma.

"I am just trying to be responsible here," Emma groaned.

"And I'm just trying to spend time with you," Henry replied, getting into Emma's car. Making both women wince at each other.

Emma muttered, "Oh, that is really not fair," getting into her bug.

"So the maid," Henry cheerfully began, "What's her story?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review?


	10. A Legal Battle and a Tryst

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ashley is rescued from her deal, Ada and Henry have a talk, and Emma puts down more roots in Storybrooke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! New chapter. :D I really really like this chapter, though it gave me the wiggins because I was suddenly left wondering why Mr. Gold wanted Ashley's baby anyways. They never really did explain that on the show...what would he had done with little Alexandra had Gold managed to get his hands on her? The world may never know.

"So," Emma asked Ruby as they all stood outside of Granny's- watching a tow truck slowly lower Ruby's car to the street. "This boyfriend of hers- you don't think he was involved in her disappearance?"

Ruby rolled her eyes, disgust in every line of her face, "Uh, that would mean he was involved with her at all, which he isn't. He left her in the lurch right after they found out they were expecting. Hasn't spoken to her since. Like I said- he's a-," Ruby was suddenly distracted from her righteous anger by her car being dropped with a thud on the ground. "Hey- hey- hey, Billy!" she shouted at the mechanic, "Be careful! You almost shattered my wolf thing, Billy," she pouted, indicating a crystal red wolf charm hanging from the car's rear-view mirror, "It's good luck."

The mechanic smiled and placated the girl, "I'm sorry Ruby, but look- it's fine."

"Um, Ruby-," Emma attempted to get Ruby back on track, "What about her family?"

"Um," Ruby considered for a moment, "She's got a stepmom and two stepsisters that she doesn't talk to."

"Wait," Henry interjected before Ada could say something uncomplimentary about certain denizens of Storybrooke, "Stepmom, stepsisters,  _and_  she's a maid?"

Both Emma and Ada could see where this was going and interrupted the boy, "Henry, not now," and Ada continued in an undertone, "You might break our cover."

Henry quieted quickly with that.

Ruby looked amused at the three of them, before becoming serious again, "Look, I don't know what you've heard, but it's wrong. Everyone thinks she's not ready to have this kid, but she's trying. Taking night classes, trying to better herself, trying to get her life together. Can you understand that?"

Emma darted a look to Henry before answering, "I think so."

Ada examined Ruby, "You know something, Ruby?" the waitress looked at Ada expectantly, "You're a very good friend." Ruby awarded Ada with a beaming smile, giving a little shrug.

The brunette turned back to Emma, though, "Then maybe you should just stay out of it. She's been through enough already."

Emma sighed, "I've been through it, too, Ruby, and I can help her," Emma assured her.

Ruby studied Emma for a moment before nodding with a sigh, "Then try her ex."

"Where can we find him?" Ada asked.

"He lives with his dad," Ruby told them.

* * *

"I think maybe you should wait in the bug for this one, kid," Emma told the boy as they pulled up in front of the Herman household.

"What?" the boy asked, "But you let me help interview Ruby!"

"That was Ruby," Emma explained, "This man- he might not be that nice a guy, so I want you to wait in the car on this one."

Henry pouted and looked beseechingly at Ada to be his ally.

"I'm with Emma on this," Ada said, "Besides, I can't curse in front of you, and from the sounds of things- I'm gonna want to cuss this guy out."

Henry's lips tugged up in a grin he didn't quite want to show, trying to maintain his pout.

"It's decided, kid," Emma said, getting out of the bug. "Just wait here, we shouldn't be long, and you can keep us in sight at all times."

Ada leaned back into the car to offer a suggestion, "See if you spot any suspicious activity in the neighborhood, Henry- you never know. Spot anything, and shout for us."

Henry nodded and practically glued his eyes to the window, already on look out.

Emma and Ada approached the front door of the house just as another car pulled into the garage. Emma knocked on the door and it was opened by a young man- probably Sean.

"Can I help you?" he asked, looking between the two women.

"Sean Herman?" Emma said in her most serious bails-bond-person voice.

"Yeah. Who are you?" the boy's eyes kept darting back and forth between Emma and Ada.

"I'm Emma Swan, and this is Ada Ward. We're- we're looking for Ashley Boyd. She's in trouble. I just thought maybe she came to see you-," Emma was cut off by the man who exited the car, storming up at them.

"My son doesn't have anything to do with that girl anymore, so whatever trouble she's in, I am sorry for, but there's nothing we can do to help you."

Ada decided she didn't like Mitchell Herman there and then.

"You're the reason he broke up with her," she hissed, Emma nodding her head, having already come to the same conclusion.

"Absolutely," Mr. Herman said, almost proudly, "I'm not gonna let my son throw his life away over a mistake."

"But it's ok for the girl to have to deal with it? Because your son obviously had no hand in the 'mistake' she's in, right?" Ada crossed her arms and stood toe to toe with Mitchell Herman. Emma sighed- Herman had to be at least two feet taller than her friend, and was by no means scrawny. Not that Ada would've taken that into account.

"I don't like what you're implying, Miss-," Herman gestured for her name.

"Ward. Ada Ward. And I thought someone should have the guts to tell you to your face that you're a pompous, misogynistic asshole, who apparently doesn't trust his son to make his own decisions and has no human feeling for a girl who is totally alone in this world through no fault of her own. Actually- the reason she's alone is  _you_ , Mr. Herman. I hope you're very proud of your boy- abandoning a woman and running away from a situation he helped create, leaving her trapped. Because  _she_  can't very well run away now can she? I guess you  _must_  be proud, since you're the one who told him to abandon all principles and take the coward's way out."

"Oh?" Herman questioned, his chest puffing up as he went toe to toe with the tiny redhead, though Emma noticed Sean had cringed and looked away at Ada's words, "And what were they supposed to do? Raise it in the backseat of a car?"

"Some people only have the backseat of a car," Emma immediately jumped in, feeling defensive.

"And they're to be pitied- I'm not letting that happen to my son," Herman's face was beat red and he was on the verge of shouting.

Ada decided to push him over the edge, her voice lowering, tone completely even, and Emma knew her sister was  _pissed_ , "Actually, Mr. Herman, you could've supported your son. Helped him and Ashley. Helped your grandchild. But I guess, had Sean made a decision you didn't agree with about  _his_  life, you would've kicked him to the curb then. The only reason they would've been stuck with a backseat would've been, again, you, Mr. Herman. Seems to me that it may have been Sean and Ashley who got pregnant, but this whole situation leads back to  _your_  doing."

"Dad," Sean cut in before Mr. Herman could really began to yell- or even take a swing at Ada (he looked about ready to), "Maybe we should help them look."

Mitchell Herman turned to his son with a glare, "It's a waste, Sean."

"Sean," Emma tried reasoning with the boy, "If you want to come, come. Stop letting other people make decisions for you. If Ashely runs away with this baby, she's gonna be in some serious trouble."

"She's running away with the baby?" Sean seemed shocked.

"No," Ada sarcastically replied, "She's running away from the baby- like you did," Ada dropped the sarcasm and continued, "Except Ashley would never do that, would she, Sean?"

Emma knew Ada was fired up over this- she always got a red-hot temper when she thought people were being abandoned by those who should stand by them. She was especially sensitive when it came to women and children. At nineteen, Ashley was almost both in Ada's eyes. Trying to get a handle on the situation before Ada went into an all-out brawl with Mitchell Herman, Emma grabbed her sister's wrist in an attempt to get the redhead to hold back some of her anger and let Emma take the lead.

But before Emma could add anything else, Mitchell Herman barked out his orders, "Sean. Inside. Now." The man turned back to Emma and Ada, "Listen, if I knew where that girl was, I'd tell you, believe me. I went to a lot of trouble to get her that deal."

"Deal?" Emma asked, "What are you talking about?"

"You don't know?" Herman's eyebrows rose, "Ashley agreed to give up the child. And she's been paid very well to do so."

"She  _sold_  the baby?" Emma was in shock and Ada was practically vibrating.

"You do realize the selling of human beings is  _illegal_?" she hissed at Herman.

"Oh, you make it sound so crass," Herman objected.

"Is there any way it  _doesn't_?" Ada practically yelled.

"I found someone who is going to give that child a proper home," Herman yelled back at her.

"And tell me, Mr. Herman," Ada was hissing again, and Emma was suddenly reminded of a cat- hissing and spitting at whoever dared piss it off, "What adoption agency did you go through? Was there a thorough background check? A home visit? Did you do these things yourself? Or did you just  _leap_  at the first opportunity to make this whole situation disappear as quickly as possible so that Sean could forget anything about Ashley Boyd and their baby? Who are you to judge what a person is capable of providing for their child? What gives you the right to make a decision for that girl?"

"Oh look at her," Herman sneered, "She's a teenager, and she's never shown any evidence of being responsible. How could she possibly know how to be a mother?'

"So you're the expert in what it takes to be a mother?" Ada fired back, "And did you ever look for evidence of her responsibility or did you just assume that at nineteen she had everyone handed to her her whole life? That she lived high and easy? Let me tell you something about Ashley Boyd, sir," Ada walked up again into Herman's face, "She's been going to night school, studying her ass of. She works at Granny's, trying to save up money, because she has no family- she is on her own. As the only person responsible for taking care of herself, I'd say she's got responsibility aplenty. But you don't give a damn about that or about that baby. You want to take what has become to you an uncomfortable situation and make it all disappear like it never happened. You don't want to risk Sean seeing Ashley with their baby and realizing that you strong armed him into abandoning his child. You don't want to risk Sean regretting it and going to Ashley, offering his support. You don't want to risk your own parenting being called into question. After all "What kind of father raises a boy who gets a nineteen year old pregnant?"" Ada mocked, "Mitchell Herman, this situation has nothing to do with Ashley, the baby, or even Sean. It is all do to with you and your ego."

"Look," Herman's teeth ground in his jaw and he spoke through them, "I'm gonna say this once and then you are going to get off my property, I found someone who's going to pay Ashley extremely well, someone who is going to see to it that everybody's happy."

"Not everyone, Mr. Herman," Ada said over her shoulder as she pulled Emma away with her, "Just you."

"You do realize- Gold?" Emma asked Ada as they reached the Bug.

"Oh," she hissed, "I realized. I knew my prickings were bad with him for a reason."

* * *

"You can't double-cross Gold," Henry told them, eyes wide, "No one's ever broken a deal with him."

"I'm very happy to be the first," Ada gritted out, still beyond incised, "And this isn't a deal- it's a child. Gold won't have a leg to stand on. Birth mothers have the  _legal right_  to change their mind at  _any time_  before the baby is placed in a new home, and some states even have some time afterwards to allow the mothers to change their mind. Same with birth fathers, provided they haven't forfeited rights to the baby beforehand or waited too long. No contract signed before the birth is legally binding until afterwards."

"Wow-," Henry stared at her, "How do you know all that?"

"Ada's a child advocate," Emma explained, "She helps out kids and parents- sometimes she even arranges adoptions, so she's gotta know her stuff."

"And I'm mighty annoyed with how no one in this town seems to follow adoption laws," Ada growled.

"Huh?" Henry asked, not having heard the last statement from where he was sitting in the back.

"Nothing," Emma immediately responded, fixing a wide-eyed-stare at Ada, who had accidentally revealed her suspicions on the legality of Henry's own adoption. "But Ada's right. Anyone who wants to be a mother should damn well be allowed to be one." With that, Ada was somewhat separated from her anger, feeling her sister's pain at those words. Emma had desperately wanted to be Henry's mother- she just thought Henry deserved someone better to call "Mom." Ada reached a hand over and gripped her sister's where it rested on the gear shift, before quickly withdrawing it. She and Emma weren't usually very touchy-feely, but the subject of Henry, even before the boy showed up on their doorstep, was always an exception.

At that moment Emma threw the Bug into park, right in front of Granny's. Ada wasn't the only one angry, and Emma was about to have some serious questions for Ruby. She hated not knowing things about a case she was working on- and every detail was important with stuff like this. If she didn't know Ashley's full situation, how was she supposed to help her?

"Why didn't you tell me she sold the baby?" Emma immediately asked when she found Ruby at the counter, only noticing in her periphery how Henry and Ada had followed her.

"Because I didn't think it was important," Ruby responded, clearly feeling a little phased by Emma's wrath, controlled though it may be.

"Really?" Emma suggested, sarcasm heavy in her tone, "Considering that's the reason  _why she's running away?_ "

"Look," Ruby began, trying to get Emma to understand, "Ashley's my friend. I don't like the idea of people judging her."

"God, Ruby," Ada sighed, "We are the least likely to judge Ashley out of this whole town, but we can't help her unless we know what's going on with her!"

Emma at that moment noticed Ruby's crystal wolf sitting on the counter of Granny's. "Ruby?" she asked, eyes still stuck on the red wolf, "Where's your car?"

Ruby was silent.

Ada groaned, "Oh, god, you didn't send us to Sean to  _find_  her- you sent us to give her a head start."

"Look, I'm only trying to help her," Ruby defended.

"Yeah? So are we. Ashley's in more trouble than you know, Ruby. Where is she? Don't make her deal with Gold without us."

"Ruby," Ada added, "She legally doesn't have to give up the baby, but if she doesn't know that and gives birth before we can tell her, I can't guarantee what will happen. The deadline is when that kid pops and she's due any day!"

Ruby's eyes went wide, before her eyes darted to Henry and back to the women, "I can't talk in front of him. He's the mayor's kid."

Ada was once again left wondering how the mayor had so much fear over this town- considering so far she wasn't even involved in this case, but Ruby still wouldn't risk it reaching her ears.

"Hey!" Henry protested, "I'm on your side!"

Emma turned to the boy immediately, seeking to solve this as fast as possible. "Henry," she whispered to him, "I need to find this woman, and in order to do that, I need you to go home, okay? So  _please_ , listen to me- seriously. She's not gonna tell me anything while you're around."

Henry's shoulders slumped but he nodded, "Okay."

"Thank you," Emma told him on a sigh. Henry turned and left the diner, but Ada and Emma's eyes followed him.

"He doesn't have any friends," Ada murmured, remembering what the mayor had told them at the start of this crazy week.

Emma and Ada exchanged a look, before forcing themselves to put the issue aside for the more immediate problem- a heavily pregnant woman on the run, scared, with no idea of her rights.

"She left town," Ruby told them as soon as Henry was out of sight, "Said she was gonna try Boston. Thought she could disappear there."

"How long ago did she leave?" Emma asked, knowing it would be easier to find Ashley en route to the city than there. She'd be able to do it- hadn't failed to find anyone yet (except for one, very personal case), but she wanted Ashley somewhere safe, with Ada to help her and guide her in her rights.

"About a half an hour," Ruby told them.

"C'mon," Ada said, already running to the car, "She couldn't have gotten far."

The two women dashed into the bug and buckled up, and Emma floored the car as fast as she dared. The car was silent, both of them focused totally on their goal.

"So, what did she tell you?" Henry popped up in the back seat, causing both women to jump and Emma to swerve the car slightly.

"HENRY!" Both women shouted. Then began to talk over one another.

"What the hell? I am going to Boston-," Emma began.

"That was so dangerous- you could've made us crash the car! What were you thinking?" Ada scolded.

"You can't come," Emma told him, holding firm.

"Why aren't you home? Do you want Emma arrested for kidnapping?" Ada continued to scold, but Henry had latched onto Emma's words.

"You can't go to Boston, she can't leave! Bad things happen to anyone that does," Henry's eyes were wide and insistent.

Emma sighed, stress getting to her, after this, she promised herself, she and Ada were going to have  _three_  bottles of wine. "I don't have time to argue with you over the curse. I've got to get you home."

"We have to stop her before she gets hurt. We're wasting time. If you drop me off, you'll never catch up to her," Henry reasoned, "Henry-," Emma sighed, trying to interrupt, but Henry bowled her over, "And then Mr. Gold will call the police, and he'll have her sent to jail."

"Okay-," Ada interrupted, holding her hands up like she was trying to hold off a fight, "Easy solution- Emma, stop the car, I will  _walk_ ," she sent a glare at the ten year old, "Henry home, and you go find Ashley. Text me when you find her, and I'll meet you wherever."

Emma pulled to the side and let Henry and Ada out before speeding off again. Henry pouted, clearly thinking he was missing out on an adventure, and Ada stood before him, arms crossed, eyes narrowed.

"Henry," she began, pointing forward, "March."

Henry marched.

After a few moments of quiet walking, Ada sighed and began to try discussing the situation calmly, even though she still wasn't feeling very calm. "Henry, I realize this probably sounds like an adventure to you. More importantly, it was an adventure you could be with Emma on-," Henry opened his mouth to interrupt, but Ada help up a hand, "No. I'm talking, then you talk. We take turns, no interrupting. So there's no miscommunication. Now- like I said, I realize why you wanted to help on this. You want to help because you're good boy, who doesn't like to see people upset or sad. Or not getting their happy endings," she gave a soft smile to her sister's son, "But the fact of the matter is, you were being very selfish today. Ashley doesn't need a ten year old listening to her problems about her baby- she wouldn't feel comfortable talking in front of you, and we talked about this before, but you insisted on coming along. You distracted Emma and me from our job- helping Ashley. Because we were trying to keep an eye on you, we weren't able to keep an eye on Ashley as much. Now, that's not your fault. We should've insisted on you going home. So it's everyone's blame. But- that last stunt? Hiding in the backseat? That was very irresponsible. You could've startled Emma so much she crashed the car- and you weren't wearing a seatbelt, _don't_  think I didn't notice. And if I hadn't been here to walk you home, and had Emma been forced to drive half-way to Boston to get Ashley? Mayor Mills could have had Emma arrested for kidnapping you. The priority for today wasn't you spending time with Emma- as much as Emma wishes she could make that a priority, today the priority had to be Ashley and her baby, and you weren't putting them first. It's not your job to, but when Emma and I tell you "no," I promise you, it's for a good reason."

Henry was quite for a few moments, his ears red, "Does she really want to spend time with me?" he whispered softly to his shoes.

Ada melted, hard as she tried not to- she needed to keep a clear head dealing with Henry, she had to be the responsible adult. "Of course she does, Henry," Ada paused for a moment, considering what to say next, "You know Emma gave you up for your best chance. That should tell you an awful lot about how much Emma loves you- she wants the very best for you. That's why she's still here. She's making sure that you  _have_  the best. I'll tell you something. Once, more than a couple of years ago, I got Emma very drunk."

Henry giggled slightly, just as Ada had intended with that statement.

"Of course," she grinned, "I might have been more than a little tipsy myself. But when grown ups get drunk they talk an awful lot, and sometimes a bottle of wine is the only way to get Emma to talk about anything. But that one night, she told me something I will never forget."

"What?" Henry asked, still grinning from the idea of a very drunk Ada and Emma.

Ada smiled down at the boy who so much had her sister's smile, "She told me about you. Told me about how much she hoped you had. How much she hoped you were loved. How she hoped you never even thought about her because you were too busy being happy with the people who had adopted you. And then she told me that there was nothing- absolutely nothing- in this world that she loved as much as you."

Henry's eyes were wide and his grin was lost in a shocked expression, "Nothing?" he whispered to Ada.

"Nothing," Ada confirmed with a nod, "And she means it. She will do whatever it takes for you, Henry- including giving you up. Now, she may not show it, but that's because she's scared."

"Scared?"

"Scared. Everyone gets scared, Henry, the feeling doesn't just magically go away when you grow up."

"I know," the boy confirmed, "I've seen plenty of people scared of my mom- but I didn't think Emma would get scared."

"Of course she does, because Emma's brave. "Courage is not the absence of fear. But the triumph over it." You can't be brave without being scared," Ada told Henry. "So you need to give Emma time. She'll do what she thinks is best for you, but she'll try to keep herself a little distant. She's not doing it because of you, Henry, it's because she's afraid. Ask Emma to face down a criminal? No problem. Ask her to deal with feelings? She's a big scaredy cat."

Henry nodded and was quiet for a minute, "So. What do you think of me?"

Ada peeked at the boy out of the corner of her eye, he was facing her, eyes locked on her face, but she thought she saw his fingers twitch a bit- a sign of nerves.

Courage- not the absence of fear.

"I think that you're a wonderful boy," she told him, "I think that you care about everyone  _so much_  you want to fix the world so it's a place where no one ever suffers. I think that you're brave, and kind, and funny, and  _quite_  a troublemaker. I think sometimes you don't think things through all the way-  _like hiding in the backseat_ ," she gave him a slight glare and he had the decency to look sheepish, "But I think that, all around, you're probably the most amazing ten-year-old I've ever met. And, considering I work with kids all day every day for a living- I've meet a  _lot_  of ten-year-olds."

Henry smiled and applied his focus back to walking.

* * *

They were walking up Mifflin Street when Emma texted Ada, telling her she had found Ashley Boyd and they were at the hospital- Ashley's baby was coming  _now_.

"Henry," Ada said, "Despite what happened today I'm going to trust you to walk the rest of the way home on your own. Ashley's having her baby and I need to get there to help her."

"You know my mom's not home till five, right?"

"She left you till five?" Ada repeated, distracted by that.

Henry shrugged, "Council meeting. She gets them sometimes on Saturdays. But," Henry added, seeing Ada's look as she remembered the original purpose of this conversation, "I'll be home, you help Ashley."

Ada smiled and gave the boy a kiss on the head, "Good boy."

With that she turned around and ran (high heels be damned- she was  _not_  letting Gold get away with bullying Ashley Boyd out of her rights) to the hospital.

She walked in out of breath, but Emma saw her immediately and pointed to the room Ashley was in, already well into labor.

Ada insisted they let her in to see Ashley, and after arguing with the nurses for fifteen minutes, Dr. Whale shouted to just "let the damn woman in!" and Ada was beside Ashley, gripping her hand.

"Ashley," Ada spoke calmly, "Listen to me. You do not have to worry about a single thing but having your baby right now. Okay?  _I_  will deal with Mr. Gold. You are  _legally_  allowed to change your mind about your baby before it's born.

"Do you wanna keep your baby?" Ada kept her tone soothing.

Ashley sobbed a bit, labor pains along with all the stress getting to her, "Emma told me- ow!- told me I had to be ready. No running away," she took a deep breath and turned so her eyes stared directly into Ada's, letting the other woman see her drive, her sincerity, her pure  _need_  for her child, "I'm ready. I want my baby."

"Then your baby is yours," Ada told her, "So you better concentrate on what you're doing here, and if you want me here, I will stay here- I will only leave your side to kick Gold's ass. And you can trust me- I do stuff like this for a living. Okay?"

Ashley gave a strained nod, "I want you- could you-," she chuckled, "I guess  _guard_  the door? I don't want Mr. Gold to get anywhere near me."

Ada squeezed the teenager's hand, "Then he won't. I'll stop him in his tracks. You just focus on your job- being a mom."

Ashley smiled again, beautifully, "That sounds nice."

"Good," Ada grinned, "You'll be hearing it the rest of your life." With that she gave Ashley's hand one more squeeze and left the room.

She had a pawnbroker to deal with.

And what luck? Mr. Gold was already in the waiting room, Emma keeping the man away from the delivery room.

"A baby?" Ada heard Emma say, clearly incised, " _That's_  your merchandise? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well," Gold smirked, "Because at the time you didn't need to know."

"Really?" Emma fired back, "Or you thought I wouldn't take the job?"

"On the contrary, I thought it would be more effective if you found out yourself. After seeing Ashley's hard life, I thought it would make sense... to you. I mean if anyone could understand the reasons behind giving up a baby, I assumed it would be  _you_ ," Gold gave a smile.

"You're not getting that kid," Emma responded, after tensing at the implication in Gold's words.

"Actually, we have an agreement. And my agreements are always honored. If not, I'm going to have to involve the police, and that baby is going to end up in the system, and that would be a pity. You didn't enjoy your time in the system, did you  _Emma_?"

Ada had had enough, "Actually," she began, stepping into Gold's personal space, determined not to show any weakness, despite the overwhelming urge to barf at the prickings racing under her skin. "You have no legal standing. A birth mother is allowed to change her mind  _at any point_  before the baby is born, so no contract before the birth is legally binding until afterwards. And I have _several_  witnesses to Ashley changing her mind, including myself. Legally, Mr. Gold, you don't have a leg to stand on."

Emma and Ada stood side-by-side, their arms crossed, ready to do battle.

Gold sneered, "I like your confidence.  _Charming_ ," he directed that last word at Emma, and Ada's prickings gave a jump, "But all I have to do is press charges. She did, after all, break into my shop."

"Let me guess," Emma sneered right back, "To steal a contract?"

"Who knows what she was after," Gold replied with a shrug.

"No jury is going to put a woman in jail for trying to protect her child," Ada told him, " _Especially_  when it's revealed she wasn't properly advised of her own rights. Furthermore, I will call in every single favor I have to help that woman. And you may be a big fish in Storybrooke, Mr. Gold, but you're just a small-town pawnbroker in Boston and I have a lot of friends who are willing to listen to what I have to say about you and your treatment of Ashley Boyd. You may even get your law license revoked."

"You really wanna start that fight?" Emma added on. Nothing had ever managed to stop her and Ada together, and she doubted Mr. Gold was going to be an exception.

Gold gave a smirk, "I like you, Ms. Swan. Ms. Ward. Neither of you are afraid of me, and that's either cocky or presumptuous."

"I think you'll find those terms are better applied to yourself," Ada told the man.

He just continued to grin, "Either way, I'd like to have you on my side."

Both women were silent, knowing Gold was backed into a corner between the two of them.

"You see, ladies, contracts, deals- well, they're the very foundation of all civilized existence, so I put it to you now," he pointed to Emma, "If you want Ashley to have that baby, are you willing to make a deal with me?"

"What do you want?" Emma immediately asked.

"Oh I don't know just yet. You'll owe me a favor," the pawnbroker shrugged.

Just as Emma was about to respond Ada gripped her arm, stopping the words, "It seems to me, Mr. Gold, you have nothing we want. Ashley and her baby are in the free and clear. So what makes you think we owe you  _anything_? Let alone a favor?"

Gold grinned, "Oh, very clever, Ms. Ward. No- I do have one thing. I may be a "small-town pawnbroker" but I am very powerful in this town nonetheless. And this town, well, that is where Miss Boyd and her baby are going to live. I can make it  _very_  difficult for them. All I'm asking, is for an inducement not to do so."

Ada's eyes narrowed, "There is nothing legal about this, and I could have you reported."

Gold smirked, "And where is your proof, Ms. Ward? Just your own word against mine. And I am a very stable citizen of small-town America, while you are a former foster child who might as well be a wandering gypsy with how settled down you are. Jury's going to love that. You may have the baby- but you haven't got me quite yet."

"Fine. But  _I'll_  owe the favor, not Emma."

"And why would I want that?"

"Why would you want Emma to owe you instead of me? I'm the one who really outwitted you."

Gold's smile was slow and considering, "True, Ms. Ward. Very true. Very well. Deal," and he offered a hand to Ada.

Skin crawling, she took it and shook it once, before turning on her heel and walking to Ashley's room, Emma on her heels.

As the two sisters walk into the room they see Ashley Boyd, holding a tiny baby swaddled up tight in her arms, looking tired by ecstatic.

"Hey," Ada smiled, waking in, Emma beside her.

"What's her name?" Emma asked, bending over to get a better look at the newborn.

"Alexandra," Ashley smiled, her eyes on her child, filled with wonder.

"That's pretty," Emma told the new mother.

"Gorgeous," Ada agreed.

"Thank you," Ashley looked up at Emma, "For getting me here. And thank you," she turned to Ada, "For helping me keep her."

Ada shrugged, "Hey, way I see it- you did all the hard work. I just argued a bit- and really, I consider that fun, so it was really more for me than anything."

Ashley laughed, eyes drawn back to her daughter like magnets. And really, Ada thought- that's the way it should be.

* * *

In a room at Granny's Bed & Breakfast, Regina Mills was getting dressed, speaking to the doorway that led to the bathroom, where someone was taking a shower.

"I have to go. Henry's expecting me home at 5:00," she said, straightening her clothes, "But I'll see you again, at the next council meeting. Oh, and don't forget, you left your socks under the bed."

With that, she left the bedroom.

* * *

Ada and Emma were still with Ashley, Ada helping Ashley to understand some of her legal rights and formulate a bit of a plan (as well as gushing over the baby's cuteness whenever they were in danger of being too serious) when someone knocked on the doorway.

Sean Herman stood in the doorway, and Ada's eyes narrowed at him, but when she saw the look in his eyes, and turned to see the look in Ashley's, she decided to let the girl fight her own battles this time.

"Well," Ada stood, "Emma, didn't we mention something about wine?" Emma stood as well from where she sat at the foot of Ashley's bed. "We'll see you tomorrow, Ashley. You still have my number, right?"

The blonde nodded, eyes still on Sean Herman, "Yes, yours and Emma's. Oh," her eyes darted back to the sisters as they were exiting the door. "And thank you again."

"Anytime," Ada said, "Well, not  _anytime_ , because, you know- really, one baby at a time is probably best and obviously if you choose to have more children you won't be in this situation again and god Emma why did you not stop me?" she stared at her best friend.

Emma just shrugged before pulling Ada out the door with her, leaving Sean Herman, staring at his daughter, and Ashley Boyd staring at Sean Herman.

"Is that her?" the boy spoke for the first time.

"Sean-," Ashley began, but didn't know where to go with that.

Fortunately, Sean began to speak, his eyes flying up to look into Ashley's face, "I am so sorry. I never should have left you."

"You're back?" she asked, wanting to be sure.

"Yeah," he nodded, "I'm back. Here, I got her a present," he pulled some baby shoes out of a gift bag and the two laughed. "I don't know if they're going to fit," he shrugged.

"They're perfect," Ashley assured him, before the two kissed.

* * *

Ada watched as Emma dialed a number into her phone. Not sure what was going on, she merely raised an eyebrow as Emma spoke.

"Graham, it's Emma," the blonde sighed slightly, "I was thinking maybe some roots wouldn't be so bad. That deputy job still open?"

Across town, Graham smiled, "Absolutely."

"Then I'm in," Emma told him, "Regina gonna be okay with this?"

"I don't care," Graham told her firmly, "It's my department. I'll see you Monday morning."

"I'll see ya," Emma confirmed, and the two hung up. In Granny's Bed and Breakfast, Graham reached under the bed to grab his socks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. It's really amazing me just how much detail I've forgotten on this show now that I'm writing it. I mean- I had totally forgotten the whole Graham aspect of this episode. Well- I remembered him offering Emma the job ("What's with the sirens?" "It's so hard to get your attention." I'm sorry, but that was cute.) but I had forgotten the Regina/Graham bit.
> 
> It's kinda creeping me out to go back and see all the shady stuff that was going on in Storybrooke.
> 
> And should anyone be wondering- yes- that thing about birth mothers legally being allowed to change their mind any time while they're pregnant? It's a thing. It differs state to state, but some states even have a waiting period after the birth for birth mothers in case they change their mind. Though, I looked up some statistics of how often that happens and it is RARE. I think one case worker said in every 1000 cases he/she had worked, only about 5 birth mothers had ever changed their mind. So it can happen, but it's pretty rare.
> 
> So. The more you know.


	11. Crickets Chirp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a collapse of mines, and Henry's suspicious of Regina's intentions. Regina orders Archie to go against his conscience.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Here's a new chapter, but warning: with school craziness, I'm not sure when I'll be posting steadily again, so please have a little patience with me.

Ada sighed, standing outside the door and examining it. Pouting a little, she rolled her eyes before evidently deciding that she would be polite enough to knock this time.

"Miss Ward?" Archie Hopper said, having opened his door to see the redhead standing there, fiddling with the hem of her pale blue dress. Her heels were a pristine white and she shifted foot to foot in obvious discomfort. Dr. Hopper was feeling more than a little uncomfortable himself.

"Alright," Ada cut to the chase, "I still don't forgive you for turning on Emma and Henry like you did. You haven't done anything, as far as I'm concerned, to earn this forgiveness, but-," she swallowed a bit of her pride, "Emma is worried about Henry, and I worry about what Emma worries about so here I am."

"You want me to- talk about Henry? Miss Ward, I do have to keep some-."

Ada waved a hand, cutting the Doctor off, "I realize, doctor-patient confidentiality. I respect that, and so does Emma. Here's the thing, I'm not here to find out what Henry tells you or what he thinks about me or Emma or Mayor Mills. I'm here for advice."

"Advice?" the Doctor asked, before stepping aside so Ada could come into his office, "Well, I can usually help with that. Henry just left his own session, interestingly enough."

Ada nodded, sitting down on Archie's couch, looking out the window. "It's so quiet here. Especially for a girl who spent most of her life in cities," she gave the Doctor a small grin.

"Well," Archie sat across from her, "Henry agrees with you- he just pointed out to me that there are no crickets."

"Yeah," Ada remarked after listening for a moment, "That's odd- normally those are pretty standard. We even get a few in Boston."

Archie shrugged before coming back to the point, "So, Miss Ward- you wanted advice."

"Yes, and you might as well call me Ada, we're going to be seeing a lot of each other for as long as I'm in town."

"And, uh," Archie fixed her with a searching look, "How long will you be in town?"

Ada shrugged, "As long as Emma is."

"And how long will that be?"

"If we're counting this as a session- which I guess we could since I asked for advice, when does the whole doctor/patient thing kick in?"

"The moment you walk through the door, Miss Ward- whether you are a patient or not, so, please, feel free to say whatever you want and know I'll keep it to myself."

It was Ada's turn to give a searching gaze, "Very well. For Emma- she gave up Henry for his best chance. Ten years later he runs away and finds her, insisting she's a Savior who is going to bring back all the happy endings. Emma and I have both gone through the Foster System, we've both run away on more than one occasion. Kids don't run when they're happy, and the fact he's given her this title- Savior- and a job description that's fit for Superman, well, it has us worried. It seems to point in the direction that Henry is very unhappy with his life and situation here." Ada straightened on the couch, "Emma gave up Henry for his best chance. And so far, we have no evidence that Henry got that. Emma and I are going to stay here until we know that Emma didn't sacrifice the thing she loved most for nothing."

"And what would constitute "for nothing?"" Archie asked.

"Anything but Henry's best chance," the two adults were silent for a moment, letting the words hang in the air, "It seems like this entire town is terrified of Mayor Mills, including Henry. And while he may be frightened of her, the constant disobedience on his part suggests he doesn't respect her either. Granted,  _I_  don't respect the Mayor, everything she's done to me and Emma since arriving here has made me suspect her own mental stability, but she's done nothing to earn respect. She's a bully. I hate bullies. But for Henry, for her son, not to respect her but to also fear her? So much so that he creates a story about a Dark Curse cast over all the most beloved fairytale characters- people who represent hope, and happiness, and love- and about how they are oppressed, beaten down, by an Evil Queen who he stylizes as his own Mother? God, Dr. Hopper, that implies an awful lot of bad.

"Then to go searching so desperately for a way to find Emma, his birth mother- so much that he stole a credit card from an obviously well-liked teacher who he seems to respect and hold a high regard for, and single-handedly take himself through buses and taxis to make his way to Emma?

"Henry told us that he discovered Emma was the Savior and pointed at how the book named the Savior "Emma", literally. But he wouldn't have found out Emma's name until he had already started looking for her as his birth mother.

"It's just-," Ada sighed, "I'm a child advocate, right? And if I were to have a case like this come across my desk? I would have had Mayor Mills investigated so fast her head would spin. There are warning signs all over the place- Henry's belief in the curse only one of them. Henry said she left him alone for most of the day on Saturday. I mean, granted, Henry's ten, you don't exactly have to worry about him choking on baby food any more but he's still ten- he needs someone around if something were to happen or if there was some emergency or, god, just for company! His isolation? His lack of friends his own age? Even lack of contact with adults besides his own mother and then his psychiatrist who is paid for  _by_  his mother? All big giant red flags. Is Henry ever outside of her control? He's running away constantly, seeking out attention from anyone besides Mayor Mills, he's clearly rebelling against such a tight rein."

"You seem to be very focused on Mayor Mills' parenting of Henry," Archie observed.

"Well, how are you not?" Ada asked, "Seriously. Does none of this concern you at all? I'm focused on this, yes, because that's why Emma and I are in town- I'm focused because it's my job, I'm focused because there is a little boy- a wonderful, sweet little boy- who is in a lot of pain and no one else seems to be doing anything constructive about it!"

Archie swallowed, "What- uh- what do you suggest?"

"Tell me how you think Emma and I should treat Henry especially in reference to the curse."

"But-."

"No," Ada cut the therapist off, "I'm not telling you any sort of plans I might make. I'll tell you information relevant to our discussion and no further. You sold out Emma to Regina. Yes, you've apologized, but you have not made amends for that behavior. I am not willing to trust you with that yet."

Archie nodded, "Well, I suppose I can respect that. As for Henry- the curse is how he communicates."

* * *

Emma had (unsuccessfully) tried to ignore Ada's grin that morning when she had left for her first day of work as Deputy. And she had appreciated the fact her sister said nothing about the new job other than to wish Emma luck with her first day. Emma didn't really think she needed it, especially as most of the shift had passed with some instructions from Graham and only one phone call, complaining about noise from a neighbor.

Graham was nice, he made terrible jokes, but he was nice. And Emma could see herself enjoying working with him. However, that did not mean she was going to let him get away with this travesty.

"A tie?" Emma asked, holding up the uniform Graham had left out for her, "You know you don't have to dress a woman as a man to give her authority."

"So you think you can get people to do what you want in that red coat?" Graham asked, lips twitching with amusement.

"I'm getting you to do what I want right now," Emma bragged, tossing the uniform onto the floor.

"Well," Graham bargained, "At least wear the badge," he held it out to her, "Go on. Take it," Emma studied the star for a moment- looked at the shine on it, "If you really want to be a part of this community, you have to make it official."

As soon as Emma clipped the badge to her belt, the ground shook, causing a lamp to crash to the ground and the cabinets to rattle. She and Graham exchanged wide-eyed looks just as as both of the phones started ringing.

Seemed like her new job was off to a rollicking start.

* * *

Ada stood beside Marco and Ruby at the sight of the mine collapse, and couldn't help but give a low whistle.

"I've got to hand it to your town," she told the two townsfolk, "Between me and Emma arriving, Mayor Mills attempted smear campaign against Emma, Emma hacking down parts of her apple tree, a coma patient waking up and going for a stroll, Ashley and Alexandra and all that drama- this town sure never gets boring."

Marco shrugged, "I don't understand it. Storybrooke has always been very calm."

"Like watching paint dry," Ruby chimed in.

"We must be bad luck for your town," Ada jokes and both Marco and Ruby gave a chuckle as they continue to stare at the hole left by the collapse.

Mayor Mills arrives in her car then, calling out orders immediately, "Everyone step back, please."

"Is that a crater?" Ruby asked Marco, peering down.

"No," Marco told the waitress, "There were tunnels, uh, old mines, something collapsed."

"Be careful," Regina continued shouting, "Step back!" Ada turned around to see Graham and Emma approaching- Emma with a Deputy badge on her belt.

"Howdy there, Sheriff," Ada called out to Graham, who pretended to doff a hat to her.

"Ma'am," he jokingly drawled, faking a Southern accent, to her amusement. Emma rolled her eyes.

"Sheriff," Regina stepped up to the group, "Set up a police perimeter. Marco, why don't you help with the fire department? Miss Swan, Miss Ward," her eyes rested coolly on Emma, "This is now official town business. You're free to go."

"Well, actually," Emma corrected, fingers lightly brushing up against her new badge, "I work for the town now."

Regina's burning eyes settled on Graham, who gave a small smile, "She's my new deputy."

"They say the mayor's always last to know," Regina gritted out.

"It's in my budget," Graham immediately began stemming possibly arguments.

"Indeed," Regina gives Graham a long look the turned to address Emma, "Deputy, why don't you make yourself useful and help with crowd control?" Emma took a look at her new boss, and, at his nod, went to go do so.

Ada piped up then, "Any orders for me, Madame Mayor?" she asked. Regina ignored the redhead and turned to the crowd, which Ada then went to join.

"People of Storybrooke, don't be alarmed. We've always known this area was honeycombed with old mining tunnels, but fear not. I'm going to undertake a project to make this area safe, to rehabilitate it to city use. We will bulldoze it, collapse it, pave it."

As she was speaking, both Dr. Hopper and Henry arrived, joining Ada where she stood.

"Well," Ada wondered, "She's certainly…enthusiastic. Shouldn't we just- clean it up before we start the campaign speeches?"

"Pave it?" Henry asked stepping out of the crowd, drawing everyone's attention, "What if something's down there?"

Regina leaned down, tugging on Henry's shirt as she asked him in a whisper, "Henry, what are you doing here?"

"What's down there?" Henry whispered back, his eyes suspicious.

"Nothing," Regina insisted, "Now step back. In fact, everyone," and she sent a special glare at Ada, "Please, please step back. Thank you. Let's go boys," that last was directed at the crew, but before Regina took another step she bent down, an odd expression on her face, and picked up a shard of glass. Ada's prickings came, causing goosebumps to erupt out on her arms. Regina slipped it into her pocket.

Henry, too, noticed the Mayor's preoccupation. "What's that?" he whispered to Emma who was setting up caution tape.

Regina was quick to direct her attention back to the ten-year-old, "Henry, enough. Listen, this is a safety issue now wait in the car," she turned to Graham and Emma, "Deputy Swan, Sheriff, cordon off the area," she ordered, gesturing.

Henry got out of his mother's car as soon as her back was turned and spotted Ada, Archie, and Emma all close by, "Hey, Archie," he called, beckoning the man and two women, "Over here." As the three came up to see what the boy needed, he looked over the three of them like a general about to issue orders, "This requires all of Operation Cobra... the three of you."

"I didn't realize I was in Operation Cobra," Archie said, sounding flattered.

"Of course you are," Henry told the man, as if it was obvious, "You know everything," he addressed all three adults, "We can't let her do this. What if there's something down there?"

"They're just some old tunnels," Emma denied, shaking her head slightly.

"I'm with Emma on this," Ada shrugged, "Tunnels collapse all the time, and they only get worse with age. These have to be decades old from what people were saying."

"They just happen to collapse right after you get here?" Henry asked them, his entire face showing his disapproval of their inability to connect the dots, he turned to Emma specifically, "You're changing things. You're weakening the Curse."

Emma was quick to refute that, "That's not what's happening."

"Yes it is," Henry insisted, sounding frustrated, "Did you do anything different today? 'Cause something made this happen." Ada's brow furrowed as she noticed Emma lightly touch her new badge, an odd look on her sister's face.

She'd have to ask about that later, then.

"Henry!" Came Mayor Mills' sharp tone, "I told you to wait in the car. Deputy, do your job. Miss Ward, whatever it is you're doing here, please conclude it." Archie started walking away while Ada rolled her eyes, going to help Emma and Graham with whatever they needed. Passing by Mayor Mills, she bumped into her, "Sorry," she muttered before moving on, placing something into her pocket.

"Dr. Hopper," Regina called after Archie, "A word, please?" Archie approached and waited, "Okay, we're done with this," the Mayor pronounced, her words cutting and full of bite.

"Uh," Archie began, unsure what she was saying, "Excuse me?"

"My son," she said, her voice tight with control, "We need a new treatment plan. Everything I do he thinks is part of some horrible plot. I can't cover up a safety hazard without him thinking I'm hiding something. How am I hiding something terrible in an old mine? How is any of this logical to him?" she questioned, her tone rising.

"He's got an amazing imagination," Archie said, trying to make the Mayor understand, but she cut him off before he could go further.

"Yes," she hissed, getting in his face, "That you let run rampant."

"Well," Archie tried to again explain, "I think it would be wrong to  _rip away_  the world he's constructed. I'd rather use it to try and get-."

" _Sometimes_  I think you've forgotten. You work for  _me_ ," Regina's voice was strong, a tone of steel, and Archie felt a few chills run up his spine, "You're an  _employee_ , and I can  _fire_  you. This is _my_  town. You will lose your office, lose your house. I can cut you down to size until you're a tiny, shrunken little creature, and this," she grabbed and held up Archie's umbrella, his good luck charm, his favorite possession, "Will be the only roof over your damn head."

For a moment, Archie felt himself prepare to protest, hearing Ada's words in her head- how he had failed Henry. How Henry was his responsibility. How no one seemed to stand up for Henry against Regina. How Regina was a bully. His throat was building up with the words, brimming with them, ready to do battle for the child that was under his care.

"What would you have me do?" came out instead, and even as he cursed his cowardice, he waited for orders.

Regina stepped even closer to him, her lips curling in distaste, "You take that delusion out of my son's head- and you  _crush it_." With that, she shoved the umbrella into Archie's chest, stalking off.

* * *

Ada lay in her bed at Granny's examining a piece of glass that she had picked out of Madame Mayor's pocket. She hadn't picked a pocket in years- it was nice to know she still could. And while she felt just a tiny twinge for doing it, she reasoned that it was just a piece of glass, Mayor Mills wouldn't miss it, and if she did- she'd probably just assume it fell out of her pocket at some point.

It was pretty, Ada'd admit, though she wasn't sure why it seemed to set off her prickings. Only faintly, but Ada had spent her whole life listening to them, and so she examined the glass.

It was smooth, and perfectly clear, thick, too, and bent slightly so it curved. It was good quality, Ada knew, but aside from that- nothing. Sighing, she went into the bathroom and opened up the cabinet. Tucking the glass inside the box of tampons for safe keeping, Ada went back to bed.

She had very strange dreams that night.

* * *

Ada sat in Mary Margaret's apartment, next to Emma as they listened to the sweet teacher unload her conscience. Sometimes, Ada felt a little jealous of Mary Margaret. After all- the woman was rooming with Emma, something that previously was a privilege that only Ada had been allowed. But it was times like these, when she saw how sweet the woman could be, that she felt guilty for her own petty jealousy, especially since having a friend other than Ada would be so good for Emma. Ada would do whatever was best for her sister, so she swallowed any jealous twinges, told herself that she was ridiculous and selfish if she indulged in it, and followed Emma's lead when it came to Emma's life.

"I am the worst person in the world," Mary Margaret confessed to them as they eat ate a S'mores.

"Really?" Emma said, an eye brow raised in tandem with Ada, "In the whole world?"

"If Katheryn was horrible it'd be easier, but-," she sighed. "She's so… _nice_." The teacher added a special emphasis to the word, causing Ada to grin a little.

"Nice?" the redhead asked.

"And what exactly would be easier?" Emma lead, peering up at Mary Margaret.

The woman's eyes darted too and fro before she shook her head and muttered, "Nothing."

"Nothing's a good idea," Emma said while Ada nodded. "You're smart, you know not to get involved with a married guy, it's worth the heartache," Emma counseled. "Trust me," Emma sighed, and Mary Margaret darted a look to the blonde.

"Not that you should ignore these feelings," Ada jumped in before it could get too heavy, "You can't help what you feel, but you can control how you act. Acknowledge the emotions, and remind yourself why you don't need them. Then, focus on something you do need- your students, your friendships, yourself. I recommend the last one," Ada grinned, "You're too nice. Need to tell people "no" once in a while."

Before they could get any farther, there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," Emma said, leaving the S'mores to go open it.

Henry stood there, sobbing, wiping his nose with his sleeve, "Kid," Emma breathed out the word, "What happened?" Henry continued to sniffle and Emma lead him inside.

"Henry?" Ada said, moving off the stool she was sitting on to make room for the boy. She motioned for Emma to put the boy there while she also exchanged a look with Mary Margaret. Understanding immediately, the teacher left the S'mores supplies out and went into another part of her apartment. Emma sent a flustered look to Ada- this was a test. A moment. To see how Emma would deal with a crying Henry was a big deal, and Emma never was sure of herself. Ada squeezed Emma's hand, leaning in to whisper into her sister's ear.

"You'll be fine, just hold him. Remember what you wanted as a kid when you were upset and give him that. Let him guide you. Relax and you'll do fine."

Ada brushed Henry's hair back from his face, "How about I leave you with Emma for a bit, hmm?" she asked the boy, leaning down slightly so she was on his level. Henry sniffled and nodded. "Okay, you need me or Mary Margaret- just call. We'll coming running."


	12. A Missing Piece

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ending to the episode: That Still Small Voice
> 
> Henry and Archie get trapped in the mines, forcing Emma to come to the rescue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, it's been awhile. So...I literally just finished this, it's barely edited (in that I basically used Spellcheck and that's about it) but I wanted to put it up ASAP for you guys since it's been, as previously stated, awhile. Sorry about that.

Ada sat with Henry at Mary Margaret's counter as the brunette slid a full cup of hot chocolate- complete with cinnamon and a towering amount of whipped cream- to the still sniffling boy. 

"Think you can tell me what happened?" Ada asked as she gently rubbed Henry's back. Emma had calmed Henry down as much as she could before promising him she'd "see about that," and storming out of the apartment- clearly on a rampage.

"I don't want to talk about it," Henry muttered into his hot cocoa before looking up at the women, "Is it true that- that if I keep believing in the curse they'll lock me away?"

 

 

 

"What?" Ada asked, "Of course not- who told you that? Henry, we're not going to let anyone lock you away!"

The boy nodded, and took another drink of his hot chocolate, whipped cream sticking to the tip of his nose before Ada handed him a napkin and he wiped it away. "I should probably go home before she gets back," the ten-year-old muttered before hopping of his stool.

"You were home alone again?" Ada asked, her eyebrows coming together in concern.

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow- bye, Ada- thanks for the hot chocolate Miss Blanchard!" and with that, he grabbed his backpack and flew out the door.

"Oh, I have such a bad feeling right now," Ada muttered before swiping her finger through Henry's unfinished drink and stealing a bite of whipped cream.

"What do you think happened?" Mary Margaret worried as she looked at the redhead whose eyes were still stuck on the closed door.

"Nothing good."

* * *

Ada picked up her phone as soon as she heard Emma's personalized ring tone ( _Sisters_  from the movie White Christmas because Ada thought she was hilarious and it always made Emma roll her eyes in exasperation) and almost immediately wished she hadn't when the first words out of Emma's mouth were: "Is Henry with you?"

Ada was very familiar with Emma, and all of Emma's quirks. She knew Emma hated being called "Ems" because it reminded her of Neal. She knew how Emma would grab her necklace (another reminder of Neal) whenever she was considering whether or not to trust someone and would decide ultimately not to. She knew every tone of voice and inflection Emma had.

That particular tone of voice was:  _freaked the hell out_.

"No, he went home about five minutes ago. Why?"

"Shit."

"Emma," Ada dragged out the blonde's name.

"He must've gone to the tunnels then."

"Shit."

"Yeah."

"I'll meet you there."

"No- it's just a thought- I need you to look around town for him and then meet me at the tunnels- Archie and I are going to check out the collapse now."

"Okay- I'll check his usual places, and meet you at the mines. If I find him, I'll call you right away."

"He's trying to find proof of the curse," Emma whispered, "Archie told him the curse was all a delusion."

"You mean he said that after he explicitly told us multiple times to never under any circumstances take away Henry's belief?"

Emma just sighed and hung up.

"Come on," Ada said to Mary Margaret from where the woman stood across the counter, wide-eyed, "Henry's missing- we need to go look for him."

"You said something about the tunnels?" Mary Margaret's voice was hushed in a sort of horror as she grabber her jacket and followed Ada out the apartment door.

"Let's hope that isn't what we think it is." 

* * *

Ada rushed up to Emma where the blonde stood by the entrance to the tunnels as fast as she could on the rough terrain in her heels. She was beginning to think Storybrooke might require a change for her typical footwear if stuff like this kept up.

"Emma! We didn't find him, Mary Margaret is checking everywhere again- is he?" she couldn't even complete the question.

"Archie went down after him, the tunnels collapsed further, I called in help- the workers should be here any minute," Ada came to a crashing stop by her sister, gripping tightly to Emma's arm in order to prevent the blonde from going into the tunnels herself, like Ada could see her itching to do.

"We'll get him out- they'll be safe," Ada promised, but both women knew how very little promises actually counted for.

They stood guard over the entrance with Archie's dog, Pongo, beside them.

* * *

Ada never really considered herself an optimist. She always labeled herself as a realist and was quite proud of it. But now, oh now she wished for optimism. Longed for it. Or rather, wished Emma had it.

"Archie is smart," Marco told the group gathered around the mine entrance as Pongo continues to bark while Ruby holds him back, "He'll keep the boy safe until we get to that." Ada nods absent-mindedly as Graham and Marco flank her and Emma. Regina stood by the workers, rolling her eyes as the dog continued to bark.

Maybe optimism isn't all it's cracked up to be, Ada considers as the ground shakes from the worker's efforts.

"Watch out!" the workers yelled as everyone stumbled away from the falling rocks.

"Stop! Stop! You're making it worse!" the Mayor shouted as she stormed up to Emma and the others.

"I am trying to save him," Emma told the woman, stomping her way towards the Mayor. "You know why he went in there in the first place, don't you? Because  _you_  made him feel like he had something to prove!"

Ada went over to one of the workers as Emma scolded the Mayor, "What more can we do?" she asked him quietly.

The man shrugged, "It's not stable enough for us to open a wide entrance and we don't have enough man power to work quickly here."

"We have to stop this. Arguing," Ada heard as she turned to see Emma approaching the Mayor, "Won't accomplish anything."

"No, it won't."

"What do you want me to do?" Emma asked.

The Mayor turned to look at the blonde, "Help me." The group all gathered around to discuss options, "We need to find someway to punch through the ground. We need something big."

"Like what?" Emma asked.

Marco had an epiphany "Explosives."

"You have explosives on hand?" Ada asked, wide-eyed.

* * *

 Ada crouched down and covered her ears as the explosion rocked the ground further. As soon as the sound faded, Emma dashed under the caution tape and raced into the smoke. Watching as her sister vanished into the grey dust, Ada held her breath. Slowly, she saw Emma's shape become clearer and clearer as she returned from the entrance.

"Did it work?" Regina shouted.

"It didn't open," Emma said, her shoulder slumped in something like defeat.

"Then what did it do?" Graham asked the question everyone was dreading.

"Okay," Ada said, crossing under the tape herself and pacing towards the dust and debris, "We need a new plan, let's see what we've got."

Regina raced towards the workers, "What was that? What the hell was that?! You said you could do this!" 

"Madame Mayor," Emma tried to pull her away.

"They could've killed my son!"

"I know," Emma said, placatingly, "But this is not helping."

"If we knew exactly where they were," Marco told Ada as she pulled one of the workers to the side to discuss options, "We could drill down to them," Ada tried to block out Pongo's barking as she listened to Marco. "Maybe, maybe rig something to bring them back up." Ada stopped listening as she saw Emma release Pongo from where he was sitting in the fire truck.

"Emma?" she asked.

"It's Archie's dog!" she shouted back as she followed the dalmatian, "He's found something! Look- this is where they must be. What is it?" Ada jogged over to see a metal covering of some sort.

Graham and Marco removed it to reveal a metal grate, "It's an air shaft," Graham explained.

"It's narrow," Ada said, examining it, "But someone could fit down it."

"So, what's next?" Madame Mayor asked the group.

"We need to lower someone straight down," Marco cautioned them, "Or the line would collapse with the sides of the shaft."

Graham joined them, "I've got the harness."

Regina gave a nod, "Lower me down," she ordered.

"Oh, no way. I'm going," Emma immediately objected.

"He's my son," Regina snarled.

"That's not the point right now- the point is who is going to be able?" Ada cut in, "You've been sitting behind a desk for ten years, Emma's been physically active with her job- she's got the best chance."

Regina took a step into Emma's personal space, and for a moment, Ada thought the woman was actually going to threaten her, "Just bring him to me," Regina said with a stern look towards the blonde.

Emma nodded turning towards Graham who helped her put on the harness. 

* * *

Never having been particularly religious, Ada found it sort of odd she was wishing she did actually believe in some sort of higher power. Some sort of deity that would keep people safe. That would make this work.

But, she supposed, if there was such a god, then Emma wouldn't have had the childhood she did, and Henry wouldn't have been in this mess to begin with.

She studied the Mayor from the corner of her eyes- the woman was frantic, as any mother would be with a child in danger, but Ada couldn't help but still distrust her. Love, in Ada's opinion, was not enough to automatically make someone a good person. Everyone loves somebody- even the worst people in history loved someone at some point. Loving someone did not redeem you. Hitler loved his mother. An extreme example, no doubt, but it carried Ada's point. Regina Mills still gave Ada the worst sorts of prickings, and despite her obvious love and worry over Henry's safety, Ada wasn't sure she was a fit mother. She left Henry alone for most of the day, most days it seemed, she appeared to keep him isolated and obviously controlled Archie like a puppet with strings. In fact, she seemed to have most of the town attached by strings, and played with them all for her own purpose. 

No, love was not enough to redeem a person.

And Ada hadn't missed what lead to this whole debacle- apparently, at Regina's insistence, against Archie's own expert opinion, the Mayor forced the therapist to attempt to strip Henry of his belief in the curse. Henry, seeking to prove something, dashed into the tunnels to find whatever he could.

Worry about his physical status aside, Regina didn't seem to hold much concern of Henry's mental status except in how it related to her.

Ada's attention was quickly diverted back to the air shaft where Emma had gone down in search of Henry and Archie. A rumbling sound and the faintest sound of shouting floated up from it, causing Ada to take an unconscious step forward. Everyone seemed to hold their breath as the workers slowly pulled up on the rope, and Ada crossed her fingers and wished again she believe in some sort of god to pray to.

But gods weren't necessary as the entire group let up a cheer when Emma and Henry became visible and then Archie as well. Ada laughed and jumped in her heels, giving a quick hug to Ruby, who stood by her, and every construction worker within reach before running up to her sister, who was being dragged out of the ground with Henry clutching to her like a lifeline.

Regina quickly pulled Henry into a hug of her own as the boy kept his eyes and whole body turned towards Emma even as the Mayor drug him over to a waiting medic. Emma's eyes didn't leave Henry as Graham pulled her upright and Ada flew over to her before tackling the Deputy with a hug.

"Oh my god please never scare me like that again!" Ada shouted through her, apparently, unstoppable smile as Emma responded to the hug. Ada noticed Archie and Marco sharing their own celebration off to the side as Emma let go of Ada to go check on Henry.

"A good day, huh?" Graham asked her as the continued to bask in the jubilation of the crowd of heroes.

"Hey, you okay?" Emma asked Henry, crouching down to look at him beside Regina.

Ada's smile started to fall, though, when she heard the Mayor coolly tell Emma, "Deputy, you can clear the crowd away," as she used one arm to push Emma to the side.

"As good as we could get, I guess," she muttered to Graham before walking over to Emma, who looked crushed. Guess the peace between adoptive and birth mothers was only contingent on how long Regina needed Emma.

* * *

"Thank you, Dr. Hooper," Regina told Archie with a large smile as Henry was lead away by medics.

"I- uh- I have something to say," the therapist said, turning to walk to a slightly more private area to talk with the Mayor. "I'm gonna continue to treat Henry and I'm gonna do it my way," Archie told Regina.

The Mayor's smile immediately dropped and her voice went completely even. "My relief at his safety hasn't change a thing, Dr. Hopper. You will do as I say, or you-"

"Or what?" Archie interrupted, bringing the Mayor up short. "You'll ruin my life? You'll do your worse? Because I will always do my best." Archie concluded in a calm tone, sounding at peace. 

"Don't test me," Regina warned coldly.

"Oh, I don't need to, because you're gonna leave me along and let me do my work, in peace."

The Mayor gave a sarcastic, disbelieving smirk, "Really? Why is that?"

"Because someday, Madame Mayor, you may find yourself in a custody battle," Regina's face went still with shock, "And you know how a court determines who's a fit parent? They consult an expert,  _particularly_  one who has treated the child. So, I suggest that you think about that and you'll allow me to do my work and let me do it the way my conscience tells me to." And with that Archie walked off, ignoring the Mayor's narrowed eyes and taunt expression. 

* * *

"You really scared me," Emma told Henry later in the evening as she waited with him beside the collapsed mine, taking the moment that Regina wasn't watching to spend some time with Henry. She reached out and grasped his hand, looking at him carefully.

"I'm sorry," Henry offered contritely.

Noticing that Archie, Marco, and Ada were all ready to go and approaching the two, Emma cleared her throat, "Gentlemen, and lady," she added with a nod to Ada, who still somehow managed to look put together in her heels, skirt and blouse in the midst of all the rubble and dirt. "Well, come on," she told Henry with a pat on his back, "Your mom wants to take you home."

"Hey!" Henry paused as he got up, "Listen!" The group all paused and listened around them. There was the murmur from the workers as they packed up from the day, a slight laugh from Ruby where she lounged on the hood of one of the rescue vehicles, flirting, and carrying over all that, the sound of chirping. 

"Crickets," Archie said with a smile towards Henry.

"They're back," Henry turned to look at Emma, "Things  _are_  changing."

Emma's eyes were wide as she looked towards Ada, who grinned.

"Well, you know crickets are supposed to be lucky. And I think," she added with a teasing glance at Henry, "We could use all the luck we can get."

Far beneath the group's feet, as they all mingled together in celebration, passing soda cans (and, in Marco's case, a flask), petting Pongo for being the hero of the hour, was a glass coffin with vines crafted over the lid in decoration.

It was missing a piece.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end of That Still, Small Voice. I was almost sad I had Ada steal the piece of Snow White's coffin off Regina, because that final scene of Regina dropping the glass down the air shaft and it crashing into the rest of the coffin is just so full of symbolism and stuff, but...I made do. And bravo to Archie for standing up to Regina and beating her at her own game. Madame Mayor wants to blackmail the cricket? Well, Archie will play hardball.


	13. Awkward Moments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David is left feeling awkward and lost in a house that was never a home and a wife he was never married to. Mary Margaret struggles to cope with her own feelings, and Ada offers to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo hoo! New chapter! And in a semi-timely fashion! Go me! Ohhh, this...this whole situation...the David Kathryn saga just...bothered me. Kathryn admitted first thing in Snow Falls that she had told David to leave and he had left her right before his accident. It bothered me so much that no one seemed to point out the absolute absurdity of putting the amnesiac man in the care of his estranged wife who admitted that they were estranged before his accident and she now wants a second chance with (I repeat) an amnesiac man. 
> 
> Is no one else kinda disturbed on David's behalf that they were all apparently just like: "yeah, let her take care of him, never mind that he has no memory of her, she is his wife legally only, but admits that they were probably going to divorce at the time of his accident and she wants to get back together now, all these years later...it'll be fine and not at all a conflict of interest or awkward for the amnesic man at all."
> 
> What?
> 
> Regardless, here is the first half of "The Shepherd."

"Oh, this is going to be awkward," Ada muttered as she stood next to Emma in the Nolan home, waiting for David to arrive. The house was filled with people- most of whom David wouldn't remember.

"Dr. Whale said it would be good for him- the smallest thing could be a trigger. But," she cleared her throat, "I'm kinda with you," Emma agreed in an undertone, "I couldn't imagine having to deal with a room full of people who I didn't remember."

"And then," Ada added, warming to the topic, "Having to have them talk about you like they know you and you should know them."

"Yup," Emma nodded.

"Awkward," concluded Ada while sending an uncomfortable smile towards some people nearby who she didn't know.

Henry wandered up to them as Kathryn led David, who was looking shell-shocked, into the house. "You know why he doesn't remember?" he told them in an undertone, "The curse isn't working on him yet."

While she understood she shouldn't disapprove of Henry's belief, Emma didn't want Henry bothering and potentially impeding David's recovery, so she attempted to stall a bit, "Henry," she reminded, "David has amnesia."

"Which is preventing the curse from replacing his fairy tale story with fake memories," the ten year-old concluded.

Before Emma could say anything more, Ada stepped in, "Well, if that's the case- what could we do to make sure his fairy tale memories come back but not the curse ones?" She was pretty confident stalling Henry by making him formulate a plan would buy them a little time to keep the boy from interfering with the amnesiac.

"We just have to jog his memory by getting him and Miss Blanchard together," Henry told her confidently with a smile.

So much for that plan.

"Did we just try that?" Emma grimaced.

Henry nodded, "And it woke him up."

"Hey," David said, approaching them, "You're the ones who saved me, right?"

"Yeah, I guess," Emma told him while Ada smiled and put a restraining hand on Henry's shoulder.

"And, uh," the man muttered, glancing around uncomfortably, "You're the only ones I know here."

Ada bit her lip in sympathy. "If you want, you can say we're talking about different parts of town Emma and I have found to try and jog your memory so no one bothers you for a while?"

"Yeah," Emma added, "Hide with us."

The poor man's shoulders dropped almost to the floor in relief, "That's a relief, thanks." Seeing a tray of food nearby, David stabbed one appetizer with a sword-shaped toothpick and twirled it.

"So," Henry chimed in, watching David toy with the food, "You ever use a sword?"

Ada tried not to face-palm at the kid's question. "Subtle," she whispered to him as she bent to grab some food herself.

David laughed, though, "I'm sorry?" he asked, but Henry had let the question go, so David turned to the blonde, "Emma? You live with Mary Margaret, right? You know if she's coming tonight?"

"No," Emma shook her head, while Ada tried to keep her face expressionless. Apparently, Mary Margaret wasn't the only one who was dealing with...feelings. "She couldn't make it tonight."

"She had a tone of papers to grade from her students, and last we saw," Ada chimed in, "She was settling down with some comfy sweats and a red pen. Very frightening for Henry, I'm sure."

"Oh," David disappointedly said, before turning to Henry in an attempt to keep up conversation, "So Mary Margaret is your teacher?"

Seeing an opportunity to chat up the woman, Henry grinned, "Yeah! She's my favorite teacher. She's really nice. Pretty... _charming_?" the boy added with special emphasis. Emma rolled her eyes and began to head to the kitchen to get a drink while Ada couldn't help but chuckle a bit.

"Well," David told the two of them with a confused grin, "I think I've hidden for as long as I can get away with it, I'd better go," he gestured to the guests.

"Mingle," Ada added with a grin, "Go on, we'll stick around for a little longer if you need to hide out again."

David smiled at the two of them before stepping away, "Thanks," he told them one more time. Ada just waved him off.

"Many things you are," she told Henry, "But subtle is not one of them." The boy just gave her a cheeky grin.

"Did you see his face? I think something got him when I said "charming!""

"Either that," sighing Ada told him, "Or he thought it was odd for a ten year-old to call his teacher charming."

"Oh, that's why you said the subtle thing, huh?"

The redhead nodded. Before looking around, "Where did Emma wander off to anyways?"

* * *

Ada wandered into the kitchen, leaving Henry interrogating Dr. Whale on amnesia (she figured that served the Doctor right after how he had treated Mary Margaret on the disaster of a date she had confessed to Ada and Emma) and found Emma, Regina, and Kathryn all standing looking awkward. Regina was glaring balefully at Emma (surprise surprise), while Kathryn, poor woman, just seemed out of sorts (understandable considering her husband who she had been estranged from had now apparently come back with a severe case of amnesia) and Emma just looked downright uncomfortable.

"Have you seen David?" Kathryn asked Ada as she approached the scene.

"Not since the start of the party, really," Ada shrugged. "Maybe he stepped outside for some air. It's understandable. Probably a little overwhelmed."

* * *

Meanwhile, across Storybrooke, David approached Mary Margaret from where she was hanging a birdhouse outside, distinctly without comfy sweats or red pen.

"Did you not get the invite?" he called out to her, causing her to turn and notice him. "You got Emma and Ada, who I thought told the truth almost brutally, to lie for you, you know."

The teacher was immediately flustered, "David."

He stood beside her, "Not that I thought you asked them to," David immediately stumbled over his words, "Here," he offered, taking the birdhouse out of Mary Margaret's hands and hanging it for her, "So I heard you resigned from the hospital," he started off, sounding far too casual in his attempt to ask the question he really wanted to know, "Was it me?" David gave up beating around the bush, obviously recognizing he didn't have the skill for it, "Because of what I told you? About how I felt. About you," he clarified unnecessarily while Mary Margaret blushed and tried to avoid eye contact. "Come on," he begged, "Don't tell me it's one-sided."

"You're married," Mary Margaret reminded him, "It should be no-sided."

"What is should be doesn't matter," he told her impassioned, "Whoever married Kathryn, it's not me. I didn't choose her. I'm choosing you. Now I know you feel it. I can tell."

Mary Margaret took a deep breath, trying to keep her head as David almost swept her off her feet, "I know you think that we have this connection," she carefully avoided her own opinion on the matter, "But maybe it's because I happened to be the person who saved your life?" she shook her head slightly before stepping away, "So why don't we leave it at that."

With that, she walked away, leaving David Nolan, Prince Charming, standing by the birdhouse. Alone.

* * *

"You might want to ease up or that Brillo Pad's going to press charges," Emma joked as she and Ada walked into the apartment to check on Mary Margaret.

"The dishes were just piling up," the teacher tried to evade but Ada stepped up to the sink and took the sponge out of her hands and started putting away the plates.

Emma crossed her arms while she raised a single eyebrow, "This have anything to do with David stopping by? I saw him sulking away as we pulled up," she explained.

Mary Margaret got even more flustered, seeming not to know what to do with her hands, "We just, um, he just..." she trailed off.

"Yeah," Emma nodded, "I know what you both just. And you did the right thing."

"He made a pretty compelling case," Mary Margaret confessed as if ashamed.

"But he's still married," Emma reminded, "I know. I was just at the party."

"Okay," Ada interrupted rinsing out the sink before turning around to face the rest of the room decisively, "How about we examine that a bit- apparently at the time of David's accident they were estranged and going to get a divorce in all probability, so...I'm not sure if we can hold that against the poor man. Just because Kathryn wanted to reconnect does not mean David, if he had all his memories, would've wanted to. The reason he's with that estranged wife is because he has nowhere else to go."

Mary Margaret put her head in her hands, "What do I do?" she moaned.

Emma immediately offered one course of action, "You need to stop cleaning and have a drink," she grabbed the nearest bottle and began pouring, "Here's the thing," the blonde began, "I don't know a lot about relationships, other than having many that failed. But generally speaking, if you think something you want to do is wrong, it is. So, you got to stay strong, and he has to figure out his life. Cheers." They all drank.

"And," Ada said after they all swallowed a healthy amount of booze, "For a slightly less cynical interpretation, I, the realist, am here."

Emma snorted into her drink, " _Realist_."

"You, my most beloved sister," Ada pointed at the woman in question, "Are, contrary to your own belief,  _not_  a realist-  _you_  are a pessimist.  _I_  am a realist, so here's what I say," the redhead turned to face Mary Margaret, "If you feel a connection with this guy, that's great. Connections are fabulous- when you're reasonable about them. Here's the thing: right now, getting into a relationship with this guy  _is_ wrong. He just woke up from a coma, he has no memories of his previous life,  _but_ ," she interjected with a pointed look toward Emma, "He is not helpless or stupid. He knows how he feels; he knows what he believes to be right and wrong, all that important stuff. What he needs to do before you can be with him, if you so choose, is get his life somewhat together. I'm not saying regain his memories- he may never do that- what he needs is a job, a place to live that is  _not_  his estranged wife's house, and some sort of stability in his physical health. Then, should you both consent, and should his divorce papers be filed, you can be together. Tell  _him_  this," Ada added as she refilled the glasses, "And I say kudos to you both."

Mary Margaret grimaced, "But is it a good idea for me to make demands from him? Or to even see him to tell him this? I just...I feel so guilty," she looked desperately at the other two women for their help.

Emma shrugged, "Have a mediator then. Archie is a therapist; he'd probably tell you the same thing as Ada-,"

"Not all people who studied psychology agree, Emma," Ada interjected, but the blonde kept going without acknowledging it.

"But he'd be able to help make sure you guys are clear about what you want and need to be healthy."

"But," Mary Margaret's eyebrows came together in concern, "To actually hire someone and have to tell Archie I need him to help me talk to someone?"

"So have Ada do it," Emma waved it off.

"I can help mediate if you'd like," Ada agreed easily.

"Really, you'd be okay with that?"

"Sure," the redhead shrugged, "It's basically what I do for work except this time I'm working with adults instead of a kid and it'd be about amnesia and it's effect on a budding romance instead of child abuse or adoption or...huh. Ok, it's pretty different. But," she waved a hand, "Details."

Mary Margaret couldn't help but laugh at that, supremely glad that the sisters had decided to come to Storybrooke.

* * *

David wasn't laughing as he sat, uncomfortable, on the couch in a house he didn't own or feel like he knew, and tried to remember the various pictures Kathryn had presented to him.

"You look different," she told him, "Your hair. It's longer," she explained, "You used to always keep have a buzz cut. You used to complain that long hair was itchy. And hard to take care of."

David sighed as still no memory came, and he wasn't really sure he wanted the memories to come, "I guess it grew while I was in there."

"So," Kathryn said, standing, "I was going to go to bed. Do you want to join me?"

David was faintly alarmed, "Do you mean "go to bed" go to bed? Or  _go to bed_?" he asked, feeling uncomfortable at the idea of sharing a bed with a stranger let alone... _going to bed_.

"Whatever you want," Kathryn tried to assure him.

If Archie or Ada were there, they'd have probably told him that as long as he felt uncomfortable or felt he didn't want to, he should sleep separate from Kathryn where ever he wanted or felt safe.

But they weren't, so he said, "Why don't we just sit and talk some more?" Kathryn leaned in and gave David a kiss, but he pulled back from it. "This isn't right."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed that! I was kinda upset I couldn't include the part about Regina and Kathryn becoming friends during the party in this chapter. It's an intriguing scene for me, because I wonder, is Regina actually caring about Kathryn and if so, is that still a secondary motivation while her primary one is just to screw with Snow and David's happy ending? I mean, I find it hard to believe she honestly cared about Kathryn since a few episodes later she wants Gold to kill her and is, actually, disappointed with he fails to do so on Regina's order. But it's still another interesting layer to her character that I just wasn't able to include without it seeming out of place with the rest of the chapter. Neither Ada nor Emma were in the scene, it doesn't actually relate to them, so it just upset the flow.
> 
> Oh, well. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Drop a review if you could!


	14. It's All a Haze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ada gives Regina a dressing down, Mary Margaret and David come to an agreement, Emma discovers Graham's secret, and Storybrooke will never be the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's two chapters in a semi-timely manner and thus we complete another season one episode. I'm going to be totally honest with you- I'm speeding up the plot. One, because having Ada there means double the amount of hands Emma has to use and double the amount of eyes noticing not-quite-right things around Storybrooke and double the overprotective bears guarding Henry (and, at this point, sweet Mary Margaret). Two, because I'm just so ready to get to certain parts of this story that I wanna break the curse now! But I will attempt to draw it out a teensy bit more. Not much, probably. I'm getting impatient.
> 
> Also- I'm announcing a poll here (though it will be on ff.net). I'll put the details at the end of the chapter so you can get to the plot now and deal with the announcement later.
> 
> Well, enjoy the chapter!

"Good morning," Mary Margaret greeted Ada as she sat beside the girl at the counter at Granny's. Ada was already half-way through her breakfast and on her third cup of coffee when Mary Margaret walked in.

"Listen to this," she whispered to the teacher with a small gesture towards Dr. Whale, who was bragging.

"I'm a hell of a doctor, huh?" he immediately told Mary Margaret when he noticed her. "No way he wakes up on someone else's watch."

"And what life-saving measures did you take that woke up the man from a coma?" Ada asked from the other side of Mary Margaret, who fiddled with her newspaper, trying to hold in her laughter.

Whale, however, ignored Ada in favor of continuing his discussion with Mary Margaret "So I heard you resigned from the hospital. I hope it wasn't because of me."

Mary Margaret was genuinely confused, "Why would it be because of you?"

"Well, our date," Whale clarified. Mary Margaret had almost totally forgotten it in light of recent events. "I never called you after," Whale continued, "I know, I know. It's not classy," he valiantly ignored Ada's raised eyebrows and outright chuckles at him as he made an ass of himself, "And I'm sorry, but if you could find a way to get over it, you know where to find me. Have a good day." And with that, mercifully, he was gone.

Mary Margaret turned to Ada, who had not stopped her laughing, and couldn't help but join in.

"Stop," she warned the redhead, still giggling herself, "Stop it, it's not funny!"

"No," Ada nodded, calming herself enough to take another sip of coffee, "It's hysterical. Does he seriously think he gets a second date with you after staring at Ruby's ass the entirety of the last one? And making you pay?"

"Let's not even  _mention_ that date, please" Mary Margaret ordered turning to Ruby, "A hot chocolate, please." The brunette settled in her seat and opened up her newspaper. Just as her order came, Regina Mills stalked into the dinner.

"Ms. Blanchard," she called out, honing in on Mary Margaret like a predator looked at prey, Ada tensed, ready for a fight, "May I have a word?"

Ada would've told her to shove it, but Mary Margaret, ever polite, said, "Of course."

"I wanted to talk to you about my friend Kathryn. But more specifically," Regina continued, her eyes narrowed on Mary Margaret's face, "I wanted to talk to you about her husband, David." Ada held herself back, "You don't belong together," Regina continued without pause. "He's not yours. He's taken. Find somebody else."

"I haven't done anything," Mary Margaret protested before Ada could really get going, and she settled back to let Mary Margaret handle this.

"Really? So he just up and left his wife on a whim?" Regina asked incredulously.

"He did what?" Mary Margaret gasped.

"You don't know," the Mayor raised a single eyebrow in disdain, "Well, I suspect you soon will, so listen carefully, dear. Because it's in your best interest. Stay away. He's in a fragile state. He doesn't know who he is or what he's doing, and you're this close to wrecking multiple lives. So before you do something that can't be undone," Regina hissed, "Let him remember who he was."

"Woh," Ada said, having had enough, and Regina stopped from her first step to leave the dinner in her pre-planned huff. "Stop right there, Madame Mayor. Before you go off in your obviously self-righteous huff, let me clarify a few things for you," Ada hopped off her stool to stand toe to toe with the other woman, "Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled you've managed to finally make a friend and you want to defend her, but let's review our facts here.

"First off, your accusations- and make no mistake, what you just said was not only threatening, but accusing- are groundless. Mary Margaret has only ever interacted with David Nolan as a volunteer at the hospital where he was and on the occasion where she saved his life- something I think you and your  _friend_  would be grateful to her for. She has never, on any of these occasions, acted inappropriately, and the idea that despite multiple witnesses to their interactions since they were in a crowded hospital on most of those occasions and he was unconscious the other time you would still throw blame at a woman who is not only a respected and well-liked member of the community but also a well-loved  _school teacher_  proves that you have no care for what's really happening to your friend's marriage and just want to mud sling someone you've never bothered to like.

"Secondly, even if David Nolan and Mary Margaret Blanchard are attracted to each other, it is neither a sin nor the sole cause or even  _a_  cause of David leaving his marriage. Kathryn herself said when David first came out of his coma that he had left and she had told him to. Just because Kathryn wants a reconciliation does not mean that even if David had all his memories he would want one as well. Also, I think it is a travesty that the poor man has to live not only with his estranged wife but a woman who as far as he's concerned is a total stranger who keeps trying to be romantic with him and is desperately waiting for his memories to return. Which brings me to my third point- David Nolan may never regain his memories. The longer he goes without, the more likely it is that they'll never come back. And if the man wants to divorce his wife, get his own home, get his own job, and his own life, that is his decision. If, once his divorce has finalized, he wants to date Mary Margaret or anyone else that is that man's business, not yours, not even Kathryn's.

"Despite your inability to acknowledge that David makes his own choices, he is nonetheless an adult. He may not have his memories, but he is perfectly capable of making his own decisions, he knows right from wrong, and if he's uncomfortable with Kathryn and wants not to return to the marriage he had by Kathryn's own admission already left he is allowed to make that choice. Treating him like a child is both insulting and degrading. So, keep to your own business Madame Mayor and stop attempting to drag Mary Margaret or anyone else you choose to dislike through the mud."

Ada, finally having run out of things to say on this, crossed her arms and stared down Regina, who was practically shaking in her fury. The entire dinner had gone silent, watching the tiny redhead chew out the Mayor. No one could remember the last time someone had dared go toe to toe with Regina Mills. Most couldn't remember ever knowing someone who wasn't afraid of her.

Ada had made an impression.

And it was true, Mary Margaret was well-liked. She was kind to everyone and loving. She even had a sweet smile for Leroy, who was standoffish and rude to everyone while perpetually drunk.

Watching Ada verbally triumph over the Mayor, slowly, an awareness began to trickle into some of Storybrooke's residents- Regina Mills was not all-powerful, and she could be taken.

Feeling the tides turning, Regina left the dinner in an even blacker mode than she had entered it.

"Oh my god," Ruby said, staring at Ada, "Did you just tell off Mayor Mills?"

"I seriously want to know how the hell she wins elections. How many times has she won?" Ada turned to look at Granny, who stood by the register.

"Oh, she's always won," the elderly woman said.

"Well, someone must've been Mayor before her," Ada objected, "She's only about what? Forty? Tops? So you must've known the Mayor before her."

"It's, well, it's a bit hazy," Granny trailed off. Ada looked around the dinner; everyone was in a similar confusion.

"None of you can tell me the name of the Mayor before her? Or how long Regina's been Mayor? Was she Mayor before she adopted Henry?"

"Of course we can," Archie assured her, "It was Mayor...oh," he stopped, "I'm afraid I'm drawing a blank. It'll come to me, I'm sure. It's on the tip of my tongue."

"Mayor Mills has always been Mayor," Ruby shrugged.

Ada was beginning to feel chills roll up and down her spine, and goosebumps broke out on her skin.

"Well, is there a library in town? I've finished all my books anyways, maybe I'll learn some town history."

"Oh, dear, the library's across there- the old clock tower, but it's closed down," Granny told her.

Ada looked out the window in the direction Granny had indicated. "How long has it been shut down?" she asked.

Granny shrugged, "It's always been shut down."

"Yeah," Ruby chimed in, "Ever since I can remember." But Ada was already staring out on the street, her eyes unfocused.

This was just too weird.

* * *

Ada approached the abandoned library, and took a quick glimpse up and down the street, only three Storybrooke citizens were wandering around- most people were busy at their jobs now that the lunch break was over or at home already, and the three who were wandering about were occupied by each other's conversation and hadn't noticed Ada.

She quickly began to jiggle the lock in front of her. Ada hated mysteries and between the inconclusive answers she had pestered out of everyone she had run across today (asking things like "how many years have you lived here?" and "how long has Regina been mayor?" "what year did you graduate anyways?" and the like and not getting a single definite answer) and the never-ending soundtrack of Henry's voice in her head saying "It's like a haze to them," she was getting both paranoid and majorly freaked out.

Emma probably would've told her she was being silly.

Emma also would've been lying.

Ada figured if she couldn't get a definitive answer out of everyone, she'd investigate every single corner of Storybrooke- every place she wasn't supposed to be, she'd look; every lock, she'd pick; every toe, she'd step on it. Especially if it was Mayor Mills' toes. She'd stomp on those particular toes.

The lock released with a soft click, and Ada quickly ducked into the dusty and dark library of Storybrooke. She took in the room slowly, letting her eyes adjust to the faint light trickling in through the newspaper-covered windows. Dust motes swirled in the air, and the smell of must and old books pervaded the air. Rows and rows of bookshelves spiraled out, their books still sleeping softly on their shelves, ghosts tucked away in between the pages. The desk was abandoned, covered in a thick layer of the dust that surrounded Ada and seemed almost to be the darkest part of the room. A few doorways lead to more books and shelves and dust, no doubt. Ada took one cautious step forward.

And another.

She wandered over to the first shelf- filled with novels, the next was as well. She sought out anything that looked like it might contain some sort of town history- she figured most libraries must have them, but there was none to be found.

She glanced over to the wall across from the entrance. The wall was basic wood, but it was carved and painted with a rolling meadow ground and a large tree trunk reaching upwards and turning into foliage that was made by a mirror, cut to the shape of the tree's top, reflecting softly the light that filtered through, and stars were carved hanging above it all.

Ada had a brief thought that it was a shame the library was closed. It was a beautiful piece of artwork. She wondered if perhaps Marco had a hand in it. Odd what a simple tree can become.

* * *

Ada was still jittery while sitting outside with Mary Margaret while she was a break during school hours. They had arranged for this beforehand, but Ada wasn't focused.

"So- do you remember how you meet Archie?" Ada asked. "I'll bet there's a story somewhere," she tried to play off her questioning.

Mary Margaret thought for a moment, "No, I just...it seems like I've always known Archie."

"You don't have any funny how-I-met-so-and-so stories?" Ada laughed incredulously, her voice unnaturally high despite her attempts to play off her nerves. "Come on- I'll tell you how I met Emma if you give me a funny how-I-met story in return. Everyone's got one."

Mary Margaret paused in thought for what seemed to Ada to be an eternity, "No, I don't. I guess it's the hazard of a small town- everyone knows everyone."

"But- not everyone. You never met David before? Not even when you guys were in school? You're not that far apart in age."

Mary Margaret gave Ada a searching look, "Listen, Ada, are you-" but before she could complete her question, she noticed someone walking towards where the two women sat at the picnic bench. "Oh, gosh, it's him."

"Him?" Ada questioned, "Him who?"

Mary Margaret gave her a look that clearly said  _Who else?_ and Ada turned to spy David Nolan approaching.

"You can't be here," Mary Margaret automatically told him, still feeling the after effects of the Mayor's talk despite Ada's staunch defense.

"I need to see you," he told her, looking at her intensely.

"David," Ada tried to get her head back in the game, "Why don't you sit down? Mary Margaret has somethings to say to you. And I won't let her get too off topic, hopefully."

"You're...staying here?" David asked, clearly uncomfortable about having a private conversation in front of the redhead.

Ada shrugged, "Don't think it'll be anything new to me- I've already heard her practice this speech about fifty times in the last twenty four hours."

David's attention was immediately focused on the tiny school teacher, and Ada might as well have been background as Mary Margaret took a trembling deep breath and began.

"Listen- it's true, I do feel a connection with you. But I want to do this right. Which means some things need to happen first. You've just come out of not only a coma, but a marriage and I realize," she interrupted before David could begin, "that your amnesia makes leaving that marriage slightly different from when most couples separate, but it's still something monumental. You have divorce papers to fill out- you are," she suddenly choked a bit, "You are divorcing right?" David silently nodded, eyes never leaving Mary Margaret's face as she took her life in her own hands, "Well, that's good. Well, not good, I mean- it's never nice to talk about divorce, but I don't want you-" Ada cleared her throat, "But divorcing Kathryn is just the first part of it," Mary Margaret sat straighter, her chin sticking out, her eyes beginning to gain some sort of spark that before had only been buried in there, "You need to have some sort of life on your own before you can be in a successful relationship. You need to figure out who you are now, with or without your memories, and become comfortable with yourself. You need to find a place to live and a job you like and whether you like hot dogs or hamburgers better and all sorts of things, and some of that you need to figure out on your own to make it really mean something. I-" she sucked in another breath for courage, "I would love...very much like to be in a relationship with you, but I want to do it right. So I'm saying...not yet."

"But yes? Yes but not yet?" David confirmed, and Ada, even still feeling the aftershocks of her freaky day, couldn't help but smirk a little at how his heart truly seemed to be in his eyes as he stared, unabashedly, with some sort of awe, at Mary Margaret Blanchard, in her sweet button down shirt, flowery skirt and pink sweater.

"Yes," she grinned, "But not yet. You need to figure out you first before we can figure out us."

The man gave a small chuckle, "Okay, I like that."

"Good," Mary Margaret practically whispered, as the last reserves of her bravery were spent, and she ducked her head down, failing entirely to hide her blush.

Ada said nothing, didn't even make a sound as she got up from the picnic table to leave the two idiots who were sitting there in the sunshine, smiling at each other without saying a word.

The recess bell would ring soon enough and snap them out of it; in the meantime, she'd make a strategic retreat.

There's only so much sappiness a girl can stand, after all.

She waited patiently within eye sight, but not within hearing range, as she watched the school bell ring and the two lovebirds jump up with a start. Mary Margaret quickly rushed over to Ada, grinning, "I've got to tell Emma!" she practically squealed as she grinned the widest grin Ada had ever seen on her face.

"After school's over," Ada told her, pointing her in the direction of her students.

"Yes," Mary Margaret came back to earth, "Yes, of course," but it seemed her head was still in the clouds as the teacher practically skipped into the school to finish her day.

* * *

"Sometimes," Graham's voice interrupted Emma's perusal of Storybrooke's police files. "The clichés are true."

Emma cast a suspicious glance over the box full of bakery goodies Graham was currently presenting her with a winsome smirk. "Okay, what do you want?"

Graham sighed, his shoulders drooping slightly, but still holding out the box, "Remember when I said no night shifts? I need you to work tonight. Just this once."

"Why?" Emma questioned further, sounding even younger than Henry as she whined.

"I volunteer at an animal shelter. And the supervisor is sick, and someone needs to feed the dogs," he raised his eyebrows and pouted in what no doubt he considered an irresistible puppy dog face.

Emma was by no means going to tell him it was.

"You're very lucky you brought a bear claw," she muttered to him, taking the pastry.

At that moment Mary Margaret came rushing in, and Graham, seeing the impending conversation had little to do with him (thankfully), retreated to his office as Mary Margaret burst with her news.

"Oh, good lord- is this really happening?" Mary Margaret ended her tale with a sparkling smile and practically bounced where she stood.

Emma just smirked, "You tell me."

* * *

Ada examined the patrons of Granny's dinner before her. Aside from a few exceptions (Leroy), most citizens of the small town were very willing to talk with her about anything she might like.

Today, she was asking questions.

"Hey, Mr. Clark," she slides into the booth across from the drug store owner, "Maybe you can answer a question for me, it's been driving me nuts all day, and no one can answer it for me."

"Well," the man paused to sneeze as Ada considered the irony of a drug store owner who seemed to suffer from either the worst allergies she had ever seen or a perpetual cold, "I'll try."

She gave a grin, "Great. Now- here's the question, you ready for it?" the man nodded with another sneeze, "Who was the Mayor before Mayor Mills?"

Mr. Clark thought for about a minute (or five sneezes, two of which were in succession) before telling her, "I don't," he gave another sneeze ( _Six_  Ada had time to absently think) "remember. It's a bit of a haze."

Ada was really beginning to hate that word.

* * *

Emma drove through Storybrooke, patrolling for the night, bored. Until she noticed someone exiting the Mayor's house via the window. She pulled over immediately, her thoughts immediately flying to Henry, and exited the vehicle.

She had already given the shadowy figure a solid hit to the gut with her baton when she recognized who it was.

"This is volunteering?" she incredulously asked as Graham tried to pick himself up, groaning, off the ground.

"Plans changed. Regina needed me to-"

Emma cut him off there, "Sleep with her?"

"No," Graham denied, but Emma was, as Ada had described, "a human lie detector."

And that hurt- she had missed the lie Graham had sold her earlier. She had swallowed it, not even knowing it was false. She had blindly trusted him, and the last man who she didn't notice when he was lying to her-

Well, she would be on guard now.

"Why were you sneaking out the window?" Emma interrogated, but her voice wasn't hard like she would've liked, wasn't strong. She hated him a little bit for that.

Graham finally righted himself, one hand still braced against where he'd surely have a bruise tomorrow, "Because," he released a sigh, "She didn't want Henry to know."

Emma's jaw dropped, "You did this with Henry in the house?" her mind raced.

"He was sleeping," Graham justified, "He doesn't know."

"Oh my god. I wish I was Henry right now," Emma wanted Ada. She wanted her sister right then, and it was all Graham's fault. So he was going to pay. It was small considering he had made her feel the need to run to her sister, but she'd take what she could get. "This is disgusting."

What was really disgusting her was how quiet, how soft her voice was. She didn't want to scream, that would give too much away, just like this soft voice did, but she wanted her voice to cut. Each syllable with a hardened edge that would dig into him and attach like a burr and never come out.

"I really do work at an animal shelter," Graham whispered to her, his eyes begging her to stop looking at him like that, stop speaking in that soft voice, to just...stop.

Emma tossed him the keys, and he caught them on reflex. "You're finishing my shift," she told him, "I'm done working nights."

And with that, she walked away, leaving him standing there in the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the Shepherd completed. Wow. Oh, that was such an intense episode- especially with that scene with Emma and Graham. Jennifer Morrison is just an amazing actress, and she conveyed so much in...well, every scene, really, but that one got to me. And Graham, oh my poor darling Graham, who can't control his actions since Regina controls his heart, and who doesn't understand why because of Regina's curse, but who KNOWS he doesn't want this.
> 
> Just...wow.
> 
> But I made it so David wouldn't regain his curse memories! Gasp! Plot divergence! Will I have David regain his fairy tale memories before Emma breaks the curse? Is Ada beginning to realize there is more to Storybrooke than there seems? She's certainly starting to get wigged out. All...well, not all, but some will be revealed in the next chapter!
> 
> Now, for the poll (which will be on my fanfic.net account): I'm thinking of adding some romance for Ada. So, the way I'm thinking here is three options, all of which will be available for you to vote on. If you feel particularly passionate about any one option, please message me your reasons why because, frankly, I can't decide. Convince me.
> 
> Option one: no romance at all. This was the original plan (and I use the word "plan" very loosely because...there really isn't one), but on the other had, gives me less Ada-centric plots to work with and will keep Ada kinda side-character-ized. Also, it seems a tad weird to keep Ada single and romance-free in a show that is all about finding your happy ending and having love be a big part of that. On the other hand, who said it had to be romantic love? Ada and Emma love each other and Ada is growing to love Henry as her family as well, and I'm sure eventually she'll let in a few other people. So option one, is: no, we don't want Ada romance, we want her to stay single.
> 
> Option two: Jefferson. Now, with this option we could potentially get some cute Jefferson-Ada-Grace bonding (since Jefferson is a single father) and I'm already planning on changing certain aspects of the plot that include (spoiler alert) Jefferson no longer drugging and kidnapping Emma. I won't say what happens instead, but that will no longer occur. Which makes this an option because, let's face it- Ada would never trust someone who did that to Emma let alone start something romantic with them.
> 
> Option three: I'm hesitant to offer this one because while I kind of like the idea of it, I'm uncomfortable taking this particular character away from his canon relationship even though it's a relationship that makes no sense to me and I think was sloppily done. 
> 
> So option three is Robin Hood. Of course, it's not going to be Robin Hood as we see him in the show now. I think they did a terrible job converting that legend (one of my favorites and therefore all the more painful with their sloppy characterization and writing) into the character on the show and I'd keep some elements, but do Robin Hood my own way. This, of course, means there would be no Outlaw Queen (not that there was going to be any anyways in this story- in fact, I was kinda planning on not using Robin at all here). Which makes me uncomfortable. I don't normally take one character from a canon relationship and pair him with an OC. It's not something I've ever done before so I'm a little hesitant on how you guys will feel about that.
> 
> So, the poll is up, please go vote, and don't forget to message me your opinions (like, please, do- I'm so torn over this all, and I'd want to know what you guys think) if you guys feel particularly passionate about one option or another.
> 
> Review please?


	15. Gaps in the Storybrooke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Graham seeks feeling, Regina (as always) attempts to control everyone and everything around her, and Emma insists she's fine while Ada thinks they might be in the Twilight Zone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another day, another chapter. This is a long one, and I'm going to actually have this particular episode in three chapters by the looks of things. Yay! I've still got the poll up, and intend to keep it there for the next...probably fifteen maybe less chapters. How long a time period that will be is anyone's guess. Basically, I have till Jefferson shows up- for obvious reasons. Or, alternately, until I come to a decision. Whichever happens first. Make sure you vote! (Just head to my profile page, the poll's at the top there for those of you who are new to the poll game.) And PM me if you have a really decided opinion and tell me about it! Right now, we have Jefferson leading in the poll (barely- and by barely, I mean by one vote last I checked). Nobody's really PMed me, so please, do! I need your thoughts for inspiration one way or another!
> 
> Either way, here's the next chapter!

Emma hadn't actually said anything to Ada about...Graham and the Mayor. She was sure eventually she'd crack, but right now she was trying to convince herself that it was Graham's secret to tell and spreading it to Ada was wrong.

Or maybe she just didn't want Ada to make her really look at how the whole situation made her feel.

So she said nothing, and, had Emma been less occupied with her own inner thoughts, she would've thought it strange that Ada hadn't immediately picked up on Emma's inner turmoil.

Had Ada been less occupied with her own inner thoughts, she would've picked up on Emma's inner turmoil.

And had Emma been less occupied with her own inner turmoil, she would've picked up on Ada's.

As it was, both girls' heads were spinning and neither was quite ready to spill the beans to the other yet.

The night after...the incident- Emma decided she needed a drink.  _A_  drink at a minimum.

She banged into Granny's on a mission, but, of course, Graham was there. And, of course, she almost walked right into him.

"Emma," Ruby gave her a small smile in greeting, "What can I get you?"

"Nothing," Emma quickly told the waitress, making a strategic retreat for the front of the dinner.

She was just about to grab the door handle when suddenly a dart thudded into the molding by her face.

She turned, already angry and about to get worse, "What the hell?" Emma's voice was relatively calm, all things considered, "You could have hit me!"

Graham held out both arms to his side and gave a shrug while approaching her, "I never miss. Have you been avoiding me? Ever since last night when you saw me-"

Emma cut him off, "Leaving the Mayor? And yes," she continued, hoping her words would cut, "That is a euphemism," she sighed and attempted to gain some control over the situation (and herself); "I'm not avoiding you, Graham. I just have  _no_  interest in having this conversation. It's your life, and I really don't care."

With that, Emma exited the dinner, her internal voice telling her  _retreat! retreat!_

But, Graham followed her. "If you don't care then why are you so upset?"

"I'm not upset!" but her voice was getting just on this side of shrill, and Emma hated it.

"If that were true," Graham caught up to her and dashed in front of her, halting Emma's progress, "You'd be at the bar with me having a drink and not running away," the words  _running away_  stung Emma slightly- they'd been used on her before.

"It's none of my business," she stepped around the Sheriff and continued on her way.

"Can we please talk about this?" Graham begged, willing to put his feelings out there in a way Emma never was, "I need you to understand."

"Why?" she whined, as Graham stopped her yet again with a quick touch on her arm.

"I don't know," he answered, looking about as tormented as Emma felt. "Maybe so I-I can understand?"

Emma held on tightly to her walls, "If you need analysis, go talk to Archie!" she threw her arm out, gesturing towards the Doctor's office.

"I want to talk to you," he told her, looking at her intensely. Emma tightened her grasp on those walls.

"Your bad judgement is your problem," she told him, starting to walk again, trying to get him to leave- leave like she knew he would once he had whatever he wanted or once it got too difficult or once something better came along. "Not mine."

"You don't know what it's like with her," Graham continued to chase after her, and part of Emma loosened a little at his persistence, his reluctance to let their friendship, or whatever relationship they had, go on with such a sour feeling between them, his willingness to try and work with her, and another part of her tensed at the mention of Regina, who suddenly stood between the two of them. No, that wasn't true. Apparently Regina had been there this whole time; Emma just hadn't been let in on the secret. And that cut. "I don't  _feel_  anything. Can you understand that?"

"A bad relationship?" Emma countered. "Yeah. I understand a bad relationship. I just don't wanna talk about yours." And she didn't. Aside from the fact that Graham was her boss, someone she had thought was a friend, someone she had thought had considered her  _his_  friend, Regina was...it seemed dramatic to say her worst enemy, but it was the only descriptor Emma could think of. Regina was the person who mercilessly bullied Emma and her friends- Mary Margaret and Ada (though the last was rather unsuccessful because Ada would not be cowed); Regina was the person who stymied Emma's every attempt to interact with Henry (an understandable feeling, but Emma thought that Regina should put aside her own personal feelings for whatever was best for Henry, and the woman just didn't seem to be willing to do that); Regina was the one who manipulated events into making Henry think Emma thought he was crazy; Regina was the person who forced Archie into breaking Henry's heart by telling the boy he was delusional; Regina was the person who was still trying to run Emma and Ada out of town; Regina was the person that Ada (and Emma, though she tried to tamp it down, not wanting to consider it) was convinced was emotionally abusing Henry; Regina was the woman who seemed to have the entire town under her control, and Emma was never very good with authority figures especially ones who appeared to be going unchecked.

All of that suddenly was in between her and Graham, as thick as a physical barrier. And Graham had been someone she was willing to trust.

Emma didn't trust easily.

"Look, I know you and Regina have your own issues, and I should've told you about that before you took the job," Graham said, his hands spreading as if he wanted to hold them up in surrender.

"Yeah, why the secrecy?" Emma latched onto this, willing to discuss this topic. As long as it was quick. "We're all adults. You can do whatever you want."

Graham seemed tortured, and as much as Emma wanted to take a sort of satisfaction from that, she couldn't. "Because I- I didn't want you to look at me the way you are now."

"Why do you care how I look at you?"

"Because-" he seemed at a loss for words.

"What?" Emma repeated, sick of this whole interaction, wanting to  _get away_ from the whole...Regina of it all.

Graham paused for a moment, before reaching forward for her face, leaning in. He moved quickly, but not so quickly Emma couldn't have reacted, but her entire brain seemed to short-circuit even as his lips found hers.

But she found herself again quickly- just remembering what (or, rather,  _who_ ) exactly she and Graham had been discussing. She pushed him off her, and he went easily, not trying to hold on, stumbling away from her.

"What the hell was that?" her pitch had gone up in shock.

Graham's eyes were wild, "Did you see that?" he asked, panting.

"How much have you been drinking?" Emma asked, knowing she had the slight taste of whiskey from his kiss. She wasn't going to hold a drunken kiss against him. Well, not too much. The man was still responsible for his actions. "That was  _way_  over the line," she told him.

"I'm sorry," he shook his head, sounding chocked, "I just-"

She cut him off, "What? You what?"

"I need to feel something," he confessed to her as if it were shameful.

"Listen to me, Graham," she quickly told him, "You are drunk and full of regret, I get it. But whatever it is you're looking to feel, I can tell you one thing," his eyes tracked her face, locked on her, Emma took a step back as the intensity started to get to her, "You're not getting it with me."

She walked off, leaving Graham standing on the corner.

* * *

Ada will admit that she had been a bit...distracted today. Well, not so much distracted as  _freaking the hell out_.

She had snuck...okay,  _broken_  into, the offices of the Storybrooke Mirror as soon as business hours were over.

What Ada had found was not exactly comforting.

She had pulled out the archived papers and dug through them, scanning, searching for anything out of place.

But everything had been out of place.

Newspapers that were dated as years apart had the same headlines, print, bylines, everything. There was no evidence anyone had ever worked at the Mirror aside from Sydney Glass for the past twenty years, and there were no papers older than about thirty years, when the Mirror apparently opened (which seemed odd to Ada- she'd have thought the newspaper would've opened long before that). The outdated computers contained no evidence, but what really freaked out Ada were the articles.

Up until Regina had done that smear against Emma, the paper, with the exception of the dates, was the same.

The same articles every day- there was one about Leroy being publicly intoxicated, about Graham having some sort of animal rescue charity thing- Ada barely scanned it. She sat on the floor, surrounded by newspapers, each exactly the same.

Exactly the same, but for the tiny date in the upper corner that slowly ticked forward bit by bit.

Ada stood and mechanically put everything back in its place, leaving the building with the door locked behind her.

This couldn't possibly be real, she told herself, trying to ignore that inner voice, screaming at her.

 _Welcome to the Twilight Zone_ , her subconscious hissed at her.

Figures her subconscious would be so freaking sarcastic.

* * *

Emma bumped into Ada as she walked back to Mary Margaret's.

"Ada!"

"Emma! I am  _freaking out!_ "

" _You're_  freaking out?  _I'm_  freaking out!"

"No- Emma- you're never going to believe this!"

"Graham kissed me!"

Ada was sufficiently diverted.

"What? He kissed you?" she paused and thought for a moment, "Was it any good?"

"Ada! That is  _not_  the point!"

"Emma, hot guy kissed you. I'm pretty sure that was the point. Or, you know, on its way to it."

Emma rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, "Yeah, not in this case- he's been sleeping with Regina."

Ada's mouth literally dropped. "Ew."

Emma rolled her eyes again, "And he followed after me, I yelled a bit, then he tried to kiss me, and I pushed him off, told him to sober up and figure out his own bad relationships-"

"How long has this been going on?" Ada interrupted, "And when did you find out?"

"Last night," Emma sighed, "I was on shift, and I saw him climb out of the window at her house, and...," she waved her hand as if to gesture to the current situation, "I have no idea how long it's been happening- I didn't exactly want to know."

"Oh. My. God."

"Yeah."

"God, Emma- I'm sorry."

Emma automatically crossed her arms in defense, "For what?"

It was Ada's turn to roll her eyes, but she let it go- no need to push Emma on it tonight.

This was also clearly not a good time to bring up how they have potentially stepped into an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

Well, crap.

* * *

The next morning Emma descended the stairway and immediately spotted some flowers lying on the counter.

To say she was angry was an understatement.

She quickly grabbed the offending flora and shoved it (maybe a touch violently) into the trashcan while sighing, "Really?"

"Oh! Hey- wait- what're you doing?" Mary Margaret asked, jumping into the room as Emma slammed the lid shut.

"If Graham," Emma told her, stalking away, "Thinks flowers will work on me," Emma left the sentence unfinished.

"No, those," Mary Margaret grimaced and then continued, obviously resigned to her gift now inhabiting the trashcan, "Were mine."

"Oh," Emma turned from grabbing her jacket, feeling both guilty and a little silly for attacking flowers. "From David?" she questioned.

Mary Margaret gave a nod.

"I though you guys were doing the whole...he gets his life together first before anything happens?"

"Well, friends...send each other flowers sometimes," Mary Margaret attempted to justify.

"So how come you never send me flowers?" Emma teased.

Mary Margaret sighed, "I probably shouldn't have called."

"Really?" Emma looked at her, "The whole point was to let him figure out himself on his own, you're not supposed to be calling him."

"Well," Mary Margaret started adding sugar to her tea, barely noticing the heaping spoonful in her distraction, "I was wondering how his therapy was going- you know he has to get PT and everything, and since I'm not volunteering at the hospital anymore," she trailed off.

Emma said nothing, merely raised an eyebrow.

"Are we going to talk about the floral abuse?" Mary Margaret diverted the conversation back onto her roommate.

"What floral abuse?"

It was now Mary Margaret's turn to say nothing, merely raising an eyebrow.

"I don't get emotional- especially over men."

"Again, the floral abuse- tells a different story," the brunette countered.

Emma sounded almost offended when she turned around to stare at the woman, "And what story is that?"

Mary Margaret couldn't help but smile a tad as her eyes followed Emma as she paced the room, getting orange juice in an attempt to distract herself. "The one that is obvious to everyone, except, apparently you," her face became confused, "That you have feelings for Graham. Oh, gosh, why isn't Ada here to explain this to you?"

"Come on," Emma protested.

"And there-" Mary Margaret pointed to the blonde, "There, you put up this...wall. To protect yourself." She said nothing more, merely retrieved her flowers from the trashcan.

"That's not a wall," Emma protested.

She received the most disbelieving look she was sure had every crossed Mary Margaret Blanchard's face, "Really?"

Emma slowly approached her roommate as Mary Margaret carefully placed the flowers in a vase, tweaking a stem here and there. "There's nothing wrong with being cautious," Emma softly said, her eyes on the flowers as Mary Margaret's hands seemingly danced among the greenery.

"Oh, true. True," she turned to Emma, her eyes softer and kinder as she gave Emma a small smile before it fell into an expression of concern, "But, Emma, that wall of yours...it  _may_  keep out pain. But," she gave a shrug, "It may also keep out love."

Emma was silent as she remembered meeting Ada, and taking years to really trust her, to really let herself be loved and loved in return by her sister, the woman who Emma would do anything for and knew she could always count on to return the favor, without even being asked. Emma knew, with a sort of bone-deep certainty that Ada would, without hesitation, drop everything and sacrifice anything for Emma, if it would help Emma. It still surprised Emma to feel that certainty, to know that kind of love and care from someone, but Emma knew it was there.

But Ada had to get past Emma's wall first, and it had taken  _years_. Years where Emma could've had that certainty but kept pushing it away.

Mary Margaret gave the blonde a small smile, before stepping away.

She quickly stepped back to grab the flowers though, before leaving again.

She wasn't going to give Emma the chance at more floral abuse.

* * *

After a semi-disturbing (which, given the man's tendencies, was actually relatively tame) chat with Mr. Gold (wherein the pawnbroker mentioned dreams being the memories of past lives as if all of the answers Graham was searching for were just...there- within reach), and after chasing after a wolf for most of the night (after having another soul-sucking bout with Regina that solved nothing and only made him feel worse, and yet...he couldn't seem to help himself) and chasing said wolf into the now morning, Graham stumbled into the school, seeking a woman with pale skin, dark hair, and a strange kindness in her smile.

"Mary Margaret," he said, practically stumbling into her classroom, "Can I talk to you?"

The teacher, noticing his state, was immediately concerned, "Graham, what's the matter? Are you okay?" Mary Margaret took in his state- his eyes were wide, bloodshot, and wild, he had a slight tremor that seemed to cover his entire body, and his hair, while never really neat, was reaching new states of unruliness.

"I think we-," he gulped, his entire face conveying confusion, "I think we know each other?"

"Of course we do," Mary Margaret continued to clean up her classroom.

"No- no- not from here," he stuttered out, "Not from Storybrooke."

Mary Margaret looked up into his face, shaking her head slightly, her brow furrowed. "From where then?" she asked.

"Another life," Graham replied, not even sounding sure himself, but nodding and putting as much certainty as he had into the statement.

Mary Margaret's eyebrows rose, and she sat down in one of the desks. Graham paced before becoming still and turning to face her.

"Mary Margaret, how long have we known each other?"

"Um," she sighed, "I don't know- awhile."

"Do you remember when we met?" he questioned, moving to sit across from her.

She gave a slight grimace, "You know, Ada asked me the same thing the other day- I can't remember."

"Me neither," he shook his head, "I can't remember when I met  _you_  or when I met  _anyone_. Isn't that odd?"

"I don't know," Mary Margaret shook her head, "I mean, I- I suppose," but she shook off her uncertainty, "I think that's just life- things get hazy."

Had Ada been there, she would've felt a chill go up her spine at the familiar, and now eerie, word.

But she was not, so Graham continued on, "Have I ever hurt you?"

"Oh, Graham, no," Mary Margaret immediately reassured him, leaning forward as if she would place a hand on his knee or grip his hand if he were close enough, "Of course not. What is going on?" she asked, concerned.

"Do you believe in other lives?" he asked her, his voice creaking, his entire body shaking, and Mary Margaret suddenly noticed the sheen of sweat across his forehead.

"Like Heaven?"

"I mean like past lives," he corrected.

Mary Margaret gave a grin and chuckled slightly, "You've been talking to Henry."

"Henry?" Graham questioned.

"Well," Mary Margaret nodded and kept her smile- sure she'd found the source of Graham's strange behavior. Doubtless between a long night, a few too many drinks, a hangover, a fight with Emma, and then talking with Henry, he was getting a bit mixed up and maybe a little ill. The Sheriff probably just needed to go to bed, take some medicine, and sleep the day away. "He has this book of stories. He's been going on about how he thinks we're all characters from them. From another land," she sighed, "And we've forgotten who we really are." She noticed Graham's pale face, and was concerned again. "Which of course makes no sense," she tells him, leaning in for a closer look.

"Right," Graham returned his gaze to her, and Mary Margaret got a good look at the bags under his eyes. "No, of course."

"Graham," she stood and pressed her hand to his forehead, feeling the temperature of him. She placed her hand on the back of his neck, tilting his head down to follow her face as she kneeled before him, "You are burning up. Go home and get some rest. I think you'll feel much better after you've had some sleep."

"Right," he nodded towards the teacher dazedly, "You're absolutely right," he stood, helping her up from the ground, "I'm sorry I've disturbed you," he apologized before clasping her hand quickly as he said, "Thank you."

"Of course," Mary Margaret nodded and watched him leave her classroom, her face worried, and then, a bit confused.

* * *

Emma sat quietly in the Sheriff's office. It was a slow day, then again, most days were. It wasn't like Storybrooke was a crime capital or anything. She put a completed file (one detailing Leroy's most recent public intoxication arrest) on Graham's desk and, spotting a dart, attempted to throw it at the board.

She missed by about a mile, and was supremely glad Graham (Mr. I-Never-Miss) had not been there to see it. He wouldn't have teased her (considering they were still on awkward terms, had they not been, he would've had a free-for-all) but the embarrassment would've been enough for Emma. She didn't like not being good at things.

The dart had knocked into the wall, flying all the way back towards Emma, landing a foot or two in front of her. She sighed and bent to pick it up just as she heard a voice.

It wasn't one of her favorites, either.

"Our tax dollars hard at work, I see," to say Mayor Mills sneered as she waltzed into the station would have been inaccurate. While the words seemed to contain that subtext, her voice was cool, even, as if she needed no inflection for them to carry their full weight of her meaning. Emma grimaced and began to take down the darts that Graham had left in the board last time.

"Graham's not here," she told the Mayor, turning briefly to observe the woman in her pencil skirt, blouse and jacket (all in varying shades of grey and black, and the jacket tossed over her shoulders but her arms still free, one hand gripping the jacket's lapel so it would remain in place). "I assumed he took a sick day- with you."

"Oh, so you're aware of us?" Regina gave a crocodile's grin, "Good. That's why I'm here," she told the blonde, who was giving her the most plastic and small of smiles, "Because I'm also aware of your relationship with him," Regina said quickly, nodding to Graham's desk as if to indicate the man himself.

"I don't have a relationship with him," Emma corrected her- wondering if there was something in the water. First Ada, then Mary Margaret, and now Regina Mills. Just what she needed.

"Oh?" Regina said, her voice perfectly polished as Emma returned to her own desk, "So nothing's ever happened between the two of you?" Emma smirked, already knowing where this was going, and put her hands on her hips, ready to be entertained by yet another episode of the Regina Mills Show. "You forget, Miss Swan" Regina continued, sounding smug, "I have eyes everywhere," and she gestured around the station. Emma wouldn't put it past the woman to actually have surveillance all over the town including the Sheriff's Station.

"Nothing that meant anything," Emma informed the Mayor, watching as the woman slowly stalked around the office, her smirk still there. Emma was sure she'd tell Ada about this later and they'd both probably have a good laugh. They'd realized the only way to deal with Regina's machinations was to laugh them off and continue to do whatever they pleased.

"Well, of course not," Regina smiled as if the very idea of Emma meaning anything was ludicrous. "Because you're incapable of feeling anything for anyone," she quickly stated. Emma would admit, that barb did land, but she gave no sign of it- merely raising her eyebrows slightly at Regina's audacity. The Mayor was going to have to try a lot harder than that. Emma had been dealing with foster kids and foster parents and social workers and teachers and students and even cops her whole life, all of whom had tried to bully, put down, and control her.

She hadn't broken yet- the closest to come to it was Neal, and Emma didn't trust Regina the way she had Neal, so the blonde figured she was pretty safe.

Plus, now she had Ada.

"There's a reason you're alone isn't there?" Regina told her coolly, seeming to dismiss Ada's presence entirely (which caused Emma some entertainment- Regina couldn't deal with how easily Ada verbally put the woman in her place, and so the Mayor took every opportunity to ignore the redhead's existence. It was like a child covering herself up with a blanket, because if she couldn't see the monsters, then they couldn't see her.)

"All due respect, I'm not alone, and the way I live my life is my business." Emma turned back to her desk, gathering some pens.

"It is," Mayor Mills countered, stepping forward, "Until it infringes on my life." Emma turned back to face the woman. Doubtless, this would be good. "Stay away from Graham," the woman said with a saccharine smile and a threat in her eyes, but the words were delivered as if they were a matter of course- the Mayor has decreed it so, and so it shall be. "You may  _think_  you're doing nothing," and Regina's voice showed what she thought of Emma thinking, "But you're putting thoughts in his head," she shook her own, like having new ideas was the very worst sort of thing to happen to a person, "Thoughts that are not in his best interest," Emma's eyebrows rose (she couldn't quite believe they were discussing an adult man in this way- as if he were a dog who Emma had been teaching bad behavior to), "You are leading him on a path to self-destruction," Regina leaned forward and nodded in all seriousness, her voice remaining cool and competent. Emma waited out a slight pause before the Mayor continued, in a soft whisper that still managed to sound icy, "Stay away."

Emma watched, her face showing her disbelief plainly, as Regina calmly walked away and out of the building.

Had that seriously just happened?

* * *

Ada had arranged to meet Henry after he got out of school- he had told her earlier that Regina wouldn't be home till five, and Ada hadn't wanted him in the big house alone.

Henry  _might_  have realized that if he told Ada he'd be left home alone for long periods of time, she got concerned and would arrange it so she would at least be able to check on him several times.

He tried not to think of purposefully telling her when he was home alone as taking advantage of that concern, but he was mostly wrapped up in the concept of having a family outside of one other person.

It had always been him and Regina. It wasn't easy to make friends when the kids who were with you in First Grade stayed in that class and forgot they had ever been friends with you as you went to Second. And during the school year when everyone still thought he was their age and that they had been with him in classes before, most kids were too afraid of the Mayor to want to be chummy with her son. And those kids that  _were_  willing to play with him,  _definitely_  didn't want to go and hang out at his house. (Not that they would've been allowed, Regina had a very strict rule about people coming over, and Henry certainly wasn't supposed to leave home.) Even the adults avoided him mostly. There were always nice and all, but that was mostly because they were afraid of his mom. They all kept their distance.

So it was just him and Regina, and when he realized that he was growing up while all the other kids stayed frozen, and that wasn't exactly normal, Regina checked him into therapy. So then, it felt more like it was just Henry.

But Henry knew what was happening around him, and Mary Margaret gave him the book, and he put the pieces together.

It was clever, he knew that, but he was still alone. It was still just him and the Evil Queen, and that was not nearly as comforting as the idea of it being him and his mom.

He knew she had to know the truth, he knew she had to remember, but she kept sending him to Archie, and saying that everything was perfectly normal in Storybrooke.

But then he found Emma, and he thought, maybe, instead of it being him and the Evil Queen, it could be him and Emma. And Emma was so nice; sure, she was a bit prickly, but he could get that. And whenever he got Emma to smile at him (which was actually pretty easy), it felt  _warm_. And Emma was the Savior from the book! So not only did he get his real mom- the one who gave him up for his best chance, just like Snow White and Prince Charming did for their baby (and  _wow_ \- his mom loved him as much as Snow White loved her baby- that's pretty amazing)- but he also got the  _Savior_.

He found the person who was going to bring back all the happy endings! He found the person who would break the curse, and he'd be able to be friends with kids who'd grow up at the same time as him, and he'd be Emma the Savior's son, instead of the Evil Queen's son, so people...people wouldn't keep their distance anymore.

And then, with Emma came Ada. Emma said Ada was practically her sister, which meant she was practically Henry's Aunt. So even now while the curse was still going, it wasn't just him and Emma; it was him, Emma,  _and_ Ada.

Which was more family then he'd ever had before.

And Ada  _liked_  to talk to him- she'd tell him stories about things she'd done with Emma, places she and Emma had been. And Henry was pretty clever (he'd figured out the curse on his own, after all) and he knew Ada made sure all her stories had Emma in them because Henry wanted to  _know_. He wanted to know everything about Emma, everything about the woman who loved him so much she scarified her chance to be with him so he could have everything. Turns out he hadn't gotten everything, not really, but Emma was sticking around with Ada to make sure he would.

That was more than anyone else had ever done for him. That was  _huge_.

So Henry wanted to know everything about his mother, and Ada would oblige with stories. He was sure she was keeping some details out (Her story of how she and Emma met was filled with a lot of gaps that, when he questioned, Ada said would be filled in "When you're fifty.") but Henry  _loved_  it.

So he always told Ada when he'd be left home alone.

Ada was kind of quiet and...Henry wasn't sure what it was, but she seemed a little jumpy about something. Nevertheless, she had him laughing at a story of how Ada and Emma had gone on a city-wide hunt for the best ice cream in San Francisco (caused by Emma's skepticism over whether the ice cream parlor advertised as "San Francisco's Best Ice Cream" was  _actually_  the best or not) as Ada walked him back from school (and having Ada around was super cool, cuz it was like having a piece of Emma even when she couldn't be there cuz she had to be at work) when he noticed Sheriff Graham ringing the doorbell of his house.

"Sheriff?" Henry questioned, walking up the brick path leading to his front door. "My mom's not here."

Graham turned around and Ada immediately noticed how ill the man looked, but Graham's eyes were glued to Henry.

"Actually, ah," he stumbled over the words, "I'm here to see you, Henry."

Henry's head cocked to the side in interest as he got his house keys out of his pocket.

"I was hoping you could help me," Graham confessed.

"Help you with what?" Henry opened the front door and Ada reached out for Graham, as if she could assure herself of his wellness with physical touch. But the man's arm was shaking, and he felt sort of clammy.

"It's about your book," Graham said, all seriousness, which Henry appreciated, "Am I...in it?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooooh. And the plot thickens. Ada's catching on that something's not quite right. She doesn't believe it's the curse, not really, but she's noticing holes in the story around her (hence the title of this chapter). And wow, that Henry section got long fast when I was trying to give us all an insight to Henry's thought process. It's always been such a sad story to me, Henry's early life, and I can't believe the show doesn't acknowledge it more. The boy is the only person in the town who is aging! Can we take a moment to realize the implications of that? We saw in the flashback of Regina's first days of the curse that Storybrooke essentially is the same day, over and over again, on repeat. That's why she got bored and wanted a kid (who ran away from her when he realized she had killed his father in an attempt to keep him to herself) and then later adopted Henry. But that means Henry probably had the same school lesson day after day until he got to advance to the next year. It's not till Emma arrives that time starts moving. I'm hoping Regina somehow managed to revise the curse so that Henry's education wasn't like that, but can she do that after it's already cast? Especially since she's not the creator of the curse?
> 
> It's pretty disturbing to think about what the first ten years of Henry's life must've been like. That's why I think he was just so thrilled to have Emma in town, to having time moving, why he pushed so hard for Emma to break the curse right away- kid did not have time to be subtle. His life has basically been an extreme psychological torture session. Seriously, if governments could get ahold of the ability to make someone repeat the same day, over and over, with only one person aware of it, with only that one person aging? Ultimate torture technique right there. Frightening.
> 
> What really upsets me is that we see Regina can leave Storybrooke if she so chooses- she left to get Henry and left again when she wanted to initially give him back & then changed her mind. She could've left town and raised Henry somewhere normal with the knowledge that all the fairytale characters were still in Storybrooke, trapped and miserable, maybe a few trips every year or so to check on things, but she didn't. She chose to raise Henry in that town so she could personally watch everyone be miserable, no matter the cost to him.
> 
> That, I think, is probably the most disturbing thing she's ever done.
> 
> Either way, sorry for that depressing end note- but yay! Another chapter- and some of Henry's point of view. I like writing Henry; I'll have to see if I can manage to do it more often. We'll see.


	16. Cutting the String

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Graham seeks answers, Ada does as well, Regina seeks someone's end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this chapter is the end of the episode "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter." What have I changed with the addition of Ada? Housekeeping news: poll is still up, still pretty neck and neck. Keep voting and messaging me! I've gotten a few messages about Jefferson, but none about Robin Hood. What are you (...trying to think of potential ship name for Ada and Robin now...Adin? Roba? Outlaw Ward? Forest...something? Guardian? Huh. Needs work.) people thinking anyways?

A strange trio sat on Henry's bed in the Mayor's house.

The fact that Ada Ward, currently the biggest annoyance to Regina Mills (aside from Emma Swan herself) was in the Mayor's house itself was odd.

The fact that the Huntsman was regaining his memories and came to the son of the Evil Queen who cursed him for answers was odd.

The fact that an eleven year old boy, kept under the thumb of said Evil Queen, had been the one to figure it all, to set the wheels in motion for the curse to break, and was the one in possession of all the answers (or at least most), was also odd.

This trio, as previously stated, was strange.

Henry sat between Graham and Ada, his storybook propped open on his lap, slowly turning the pages, putting the pieces together.

Henry turned to Graham and asked him, attempting to imitate Archie when the therapist asked him questions, "When did your flashes begin?"

Graham thought for a second, "Right after I kissed Emma," he answered. His eyes caught Ada's raised eyebrow but otherwise unsurprised expression.

He couldn't say he was shocked that the redhead knew everything. The only person who had access through all of Emma's walls was Ada.

"You kissed my mom?" Henry's voice conveyed all his shock and disgust, and Graham looked down to give a sort of quizzical half-shrug half-admonishing look at Henry's tone.

"Back to the point," Ada directed them, tapping her finger on the book.

"What'd you see?" Henry asked, shaking his head slightly, as if to remove the image from his mind. Ada smirked. Kids just did not like the idea of their parents kissing. Or doing anything else romantic for that manner. Though she was sure eventually Henry, with his happy-ending beliefs and optimistic personality, would be trying to set Emma up with whomever he considered to potentially be her "True Love."

That would be entertaining.

"A wolf," Graham answered, before continuing, obviously reluctant to tell the next portion of his story to a ten-year-old, "I saw that I had a knife in my hand. And I was with Mary Margaret."

"Were you about to hurt her?" Henry asked knowingly.

"Yes," Graham replied, sounding shocked that Henry had known that. Ada was surprised too. She had thought Graham's "flashes" had been some sort of byproduct of a hangover, a fight with Emma, and hearing Henry's stories. But according to the boy and Graham, Henry had never discussed the storybook with Graham before. Ada thought maybe Emma had mentioned parts of it to Graham.

Maybe what Graham was remembering was partially that, and partially suggestion from Henry's questions. Sort of like leading the witness, Ada told herself.

"How do you know that?" Graham shook his head. Henry turned his eyes back to his precious book, his most beloved possession. He softly smoothed one of the pages before beginning to turn them rapidly.

"Because," he explained, his eyes glued to the pages, "Mary Margaret is Snow White," he paused on a page showing a beautiful princess, dressed in white, approaching a king with his guards behind him. "Which makes  _you_ ," Henry turned a few more pages, "The Huntsman." Ada looked at the picture. It showed a man, dressed in leather with dark hair and a beard, but most of his face was obscured by the hand held before it, gripping a knife.

Ada was familiar with the story of Snow White (at least, she had seen the Disney movie once or twice), and so she was aware of the Huntsman's tale. She briefly thought the person fit Graham- with his love of the woods, his affinity for animals.

"So, you really think that I could be," Graham's eyes squinted as if trying to grasp the concept himself, "Another person?"

"Makes total sense," Henry said factually, as if it was obvious, and Ada couldn't help but roll her eyes slightly. "You were raised by wolves, that's why you keep seeing one." Ada's brow furrowed- OK, maybe she didn't know the story as well as she thought. "It's your friend," Henry's voice was sensible, "Your guide. It's trying to help you."

"I'm remembering this because I kissed your mother," Graham shook his head and began to stutter, "H-how is that possible?" he turned to the boy as if Henry held all the answers.

"Well," he responded, his hands folded seriously before him, and Ada thought perhaps the boy was spending too much time in therapy if he could so easily imitate a therapist. "You two  _do_  have a special connection."

"True love?" Ada teasingly asked.

Henry rolled his eyes, "She owes him her life."

"How?" Graham asked.

Henry turned back to face the Sheriff, "Snow White's her mother. You spared her. If you hadn't...my mom wouldn't have been born." The entire room went a little still at the thought of a world without Emma Swan.

"W-what happened after I spared Snow White?" Graham asked, looking as if he already knew the answer wouldn't be good.

Henry's apologetic face told them it wasn't a good ending for the Huntsman, "The Queen took your heart. She ripped it out. It's kinda her thing. She never wanted you to be able to feel again."

Ada began to wonder what Mary Margaret was thinking giving Henry this book. Ripping out hearts? That seemed a little too graphic for Henry's age.

"Let me see the book?" Graham requested, slipping it from Henry's lap to his. Ada leaned closer, wrapping her arm around Henry as she peered at the illustrations. This conversation was rapidly getting darker and more serious. What she thought at the time had been a conversation that would humor Graham enough to get him home and to bed (hopefully to sleep off his fever) and would perhaps give Henry some other connections and gaps in his curse theory, turned out to be...a tad chilling.

Graham had turned the page to show a crypt with a dark haired woman (who, Ada could admit, did look a lot like Regina, just with longer hair), dressed all in black with a smug smirk, standing before it.

Graham, however, focused on the symbol drawn above the doors of the crypt. "What's that?" he asked Henry, tapping the image twice with his finger, his voice panicked. "I saw that too- the wolf was howling at it."

"That's her vault," Henry told the man, his expression grim, "It's where she put your heart."

Graham nodded woodenly and Ada shifted slightly where she sat. Henry was all seriousness. "The wolf," Graham slowly muttered, "Wants me to find it."

"Graham-" Ada began, before the man cut her off, closing the book and giving to Henry as he stood.

"Thank you, Henry," the Sheriff announced as he grabbed his jacket and practically fled the room.

Ada looked after him in concern, before returning her attention to Henry, who looked contemplative.

"Henry?" she asked, "Can you do me a favor?"

The boy nodded.

Ada thought about how to phrase her request, "Do you get yearbooks or class photos at the end of the school year? I know I did in elementary."

Henry nodded, not thinking any of the request.

"Do you think I could have some?" she tilted her head slightly, watching the boy's reaction carefully, "Without Regina noticing they're gone?"

"Why?" Henry inquired, curious as ever.

And for the first time, Ada lied to Henry. Not omitted details too mature for him, not said something in order to be supportive of his curse theory, but outright lied.

Because if his curse theory, or something like it, was true- she wasn't going to like what she found in those pictures and would need some time to deal with it.

"Because I think it might be nice for me and Emma to see how you grew up," she shrugged casually, "We're curious if you were this cute even when you were six. Or if you had a really bad haircut one year. Don't worry if you did- everyone has one at least once."

Henry grinned, thrilled at the idea. And it was partially true, Ada supposed- these pictures were going to be shown to Emma, who would no doubt be enamored with them (and trying to hide it) as a way of seeing her baby grow up. But...Emma hadn't exactly thought of asking for photos yet.

Granted, she hadn't said  _Emma_  asked for them- she just said they'd be nice for Emma and she'd been curious about Henry growing up. All of which were true.

It just wasn't the primary reason for the photos.

Henry dashed over to his desk, rifling through one of the drawers before he produced a handful of photographs.

"They always give you a whole packet of them, but I didn't have anyone to give the extras to," and he grinned at Ada, who was trying to hide how her heart just broke.

"Well," she whispered, not able to get anything louder through her closing throat, "If you have so many extras, give me two each- one for me and one for Emma."

Up until now, the only thing Emma had of Henry's was her copy of the adoption contract she had signed with the agency.

Ada could handle her heart breaking if it would give happiness to Emma and Henry.

* * *

As Ada exited the Mills home, photographs in hand, she spotted Emma (who, judging by the bug's open passenger door, had been waiting) talking with Graham. She looked worried while Graham still looked strung out.

Ada approached, eyeing how Emma had her hand pressed over Graham's, pressed over his heart. She smiled up at him softly and said something.

"No," Graham said, pushing Emma's hand away, shaking his head, "It's the curse."

"You can't really believe that's true," Emma exclaimed before her face went blank, eyes peering over Graham's shoulder just as Ada felt a strange pricking run up her spine.

Both Graham and Ada followed Emma's eyeline, to see a wolf, standing across the street, watching them.

"Still believe Emma didn't see a wolf in the road when she crashed the car?" Ada found it in herself to murmur as the wolf, with a slight growl, began to walk away.

Graham ignored Ada and turned to Emma before running after the animal.

Emma exchanged a shocked look with her sister, "Go!" Ada shouted, "I can't run in these shoes, go make sure he doesn't get himself killed or attacked by a wolf!"

Needing no further prompting, Emma took off after the Sheriff, running practically on his heels.

Ada sighed and looked at the bug- hopefully Emma had left the keys in there so Mayor Mills wouldn't come back to find the bug parked outside her house.

That would  _not_  make for a fun reaction.

Ada quickly walked back up to the house, letting Henry know that Emma was taking care of Graham now, and she was sure he'd feel better soon. Henry nodded, trusting her. And Ada asked if she could borrow the storybook, telling the boy she realized she and Emma had burned the last pages (which was, honestly, all of the book Ada had actually read), but she wanted to review the other stories. Henry gleefully handed it to her, proud that he was convincing Ada to believe.

After all, convincing Ada was a step away from convincing Emma, which would mean breaking the curse.

* * *

Ada turned the page and shuddered as she read that final line.

_"Your life is now in my hands- forever," the Evil Queen told the Huntsman as her guards restrained him. "Take him to my bedchamber," the Queen ordered as the guards dragged the Huntsman away. She turned and placed his heart carefully into the box and closed the drawer._

No, this was not a story for children, Ada decided as she winced over the line yet again. She hoped Henry hadn't understood that and just shrugged it off.

Ada wished  _she_  hadn't understood it.

The stories in the book were...well they were certainly interesting, certainly well-done, with several interesting turns on the old-fashioned tales. Snow White as a bandit? A kick ass bandit at that? Who, at first meeting, stole from her Prince Charming and then rode off with a smug smirk after besting him? Ada was all for it- bring on the kick-ass Princess. Little Red Riding Hood  _being_ the wolf? Ada totally did not see that one coming. It was a sad story, to be sure, what with Red's boyfriend dying, but wow- talk about creativity! And Rumpelstiltskin? That was one creepy little imp- Ada couldn't quite figure out his motivation for everything, and was still a little chilled over the idea of him demanding a first-born child (that, though, she remembered from the original story, but this time, figuring out his name was not the way to defeat him). But Ada kind of delighted in watching him easily outsmart the various characters, always one step ahead. He was clever, and she could admire that. Now the Evil Queen though? There seemed to be nothing she wouldn't do- no line she wouldn't cross- no act of evil she hadn't done all in the name of revenge against Snow White for the death of Daniel. She usurped Snow White's throne, killed the King, started a massive hunt for the fleeing princess, slaughtered entire villages (this  _really_  wasn't a children's book), and sent children (Hansel and Gretel apparently existed in the same world- the Enchanted Forest- as Snow White and her dwarves, Cinderella and her glass slipper, and Little Red the wolf) to a cannibalistic witch to see if they could get her a Poisoned Apple she wanted- if they failed, oh well.

She was the type of villain you loved to hate.

But, wow- what was Mary Margaret  _thinking_  giving this book to a ten-year-old? It was a wonder Henry didn't have nightmares. And to identify his adoptive mother as the Evil Queen? Did not speak well to what Henry felt towards Regina.

Ada doubted Mary Margaret had actually read the book herself before giving it to Henry- probably just assumed it'd be fine because it was Fairy Tales.

Maybe Ada should gently hint to the teacher to first read any books she might give her students from now on.

The book was only a distraction for so long though- Ada had cracked it open as a method to avoid looking at the photographs Henry had given her. She had also read slowly, thoroughly, telling herself Henry would probably quiz her on details otherwise.

She knew she was avoiding the pictures.

It was just hard to believe, in the comfort and warmth of her room at Granny's, curled up in bed with a book, having just had a lovely dinner, finishing up a glass of wine she had been sipping while she read, that anything was strange about Storybooke. Maybe it was just these stories- these way too mature for children stories- that Henry had read that gave rise to his idea about the curse. It was probably the passage of the Evil Queen saying "Well, it looks like getting rid of a baby just made my to do list," when she learned from Rumpelstiltskin the child of Snow White would break the Dark Curse.

Ada looked at the time- 11 pm. She should probably go to sleep soon- she could look at Henry's pictures tomorrow. Her eyes were drawn to where they sat on her bedside table, face down so she couldn't see.

Reaching for the pictures in an attempt to stop her procrastination once and for all, Ada couldn't help but release a sigh of relief when her phone began to ring and her hand moved to pick it up instead.

* * *

_Earlier that evening:_

"I don't know what I ever did to you, Miss Swan, to deserve this," Regina accused as Graham walked away towards Emma- away from  _her_. Well, she could fix that real quick, "To have you keep coming after everything I hold dear."

Emma was sick and tired of Regina's insistence that nothing was her fault. Emma was tired of Regina's lack of responsibility for her own actions. "I'm sorry," she hissed out, "Did you ever stop to think that maybe the problem isn't with me, but with you?"

"Excuse me?" Regina gaped at her audacity.

"Henry came and found  _me_. Graham kissed  _me_. Both were miserable. Maybe, Madame Mayor," Emma sneered, "You need to take a good hard look in the mirror and ask yourself why that is. Why is everyone running away from  _you_?"

Regina, evidently done with words, gave a quick smirk before she took a swing at Emma- right in her face. Emma fell into Graham who attempted to hold her back, but the blonde was already on the Mayor before Graham's voice shouting "Stop! Stop! Stop!" finally filtered through her red haze of anger as he pulled her away. Emma took a breath and reminded herself- this was Henry's adoptive mother- a crappy one, no doubt, and a genuinely horrible human being, but...

"Not worth it," she pronounced as she pulled away, walking off.

"Graham," Regina tried one more time, approaching him, but he merely backed away and followed after Emma.

Neither Sheriff or Deputy noticed the darkening look on the Mayor's face as her carefully constructed world- her dollhouse of puppets- was taken out of her control yet again.

Ada Ward may have a talent for verbally taking down the Mayor, but Emma Swan was the one who kept cutting her puppet's strings it seemed.

* * *

"I'm sorry," Graham sighed as he placed an ice pack against Emma's head, "I don't know what came over me," Graham explained, as Emma held the ice pack and he went back to the First Aid kit, "I kind of lost my mind." Emma noticed that, now that he was calmer (and no longer feverish) his accent had decreased back to normal levels- for a while there it was thicker than ever.

"It's okay," she told him lightly, more than willing to forgive his behavior after her own. Everyone had their limits, and he had an excuse, "You were tired and feverish," she looked up at him before finally admitting, "And heartbroken."

He turned to her and gave a self-effacing smile, "I don't know why I let myself get caught up with her."

Emma knew from experience, "Because it was easy. And safe," she told him as he approached her with a small pout and a piece of gauze, "Not feeling anything is an attractive option when what you're feeling sucks." Graham kept his eyes on her as he gently took the ice pack and held back her bangs as he moved in to disinfect her cut. She flinched as he dabbed the alcohol-soaked gauze above her eye. "Felt that," she whispered as they both gave a small chuckle.

* * *

Regina entered her vault, shutting the door behind her. She placed the lilies over her father's coffin, a small smile on her face as her hand caressed the stone before joining the other to push against the tomb, her face still maintaining that smile even as it tensed in effort. The coffin moved with a grinding noise and Regina delicately descended the stairs that had been hidden beneath her father's resting place.

She reached the bottom and walked directly to her wall of drawers, each one containing a heart. Containing a string from which she could control her puppets. She had the hearts- she had the control. But Emma Swan was now playing with her pet- Emma Swan had taken her puppet. She could whisper to the heart- pull the string- and have her pet back- but what was to stop Emma Swan from taking him all over again?

No, Regina needed something permanent for this. Emma Swan was not going to take everything she held dear. Emma Swan would not get to take Regina's life- she wouldn't get Henry and Graham and the respect of the town.  _Regina_  had that. She didn't have it naturally- she had to keep a tight reign of Henry and Graham was controlled by the heart, and the town feared rather than respected her. But she had worked for this- her happy ending. She had  _earned_  this after the heartache Snow White had put her through.

Emma Swan could not waltz into Storybrooke and gain all Regina had worked so hard for over the  _years_  within a few weeks.

That just wasn't fair.

Shoving one of the curtains out of her way, Regina scanned her little boxes- her strings. She was the puppet master, and she got to decide how the story ended.

And it was not happily ever after for Emma Swan.

Only Regina got that.

She pulled out the drawer she desired, lifted out the box and took a few steps away from her hearts, opening the metal box with a slight creak to reveal the beating red heart of the Huntsman.

She was sure this was going to hurt her more than him in the end, but it would hurt Emma Swan most of all.

* * *

"All better," Graham murmured as he drew his hands away from where he had cradled Emma's face as he had tended to her cut.

He shut the First Aid kit with a sigh, turning back to face Emma and finding an expression he had never see on her face before. Something in her eyes made him give a small grin even as he asked "What?"

She returned the smile softly and stood from where she had perched on the edge of his desk, taking quiet and slow steps towards him. He noticed how steady they were though- not a single falter in them.

She paused a mere inches away from him, her eyes blinking rapidly suddenly and he noticed a slight fear in her eyes even as she exhaled and moved in closer, conquering that fear. He dared not move as she breathed the same air as him for a few precious heartbeats, her eyes darting all over his face even as his remained transfixed on hers- waiting for the last of that fear to be gone, holding himself back, letting her set the pace.

It wasn't till her nose brushed past his that his eyes finally slid shut and his lips connected with hers, his hands automatically rising, one to gently hold onto her waist the other helping her to tilt her head just right.

The perfect moment, however, was interrupted by a swarm of memories, and he stumbled back, gasping.

Emma stood still, "Graham?" she checked, her eyes wide and unsure. He hated himself a little for causing that even as he gasped and tried to let his memories settle from the whirlwind they had become.

* * *

Regina carefully lifted the heart out of the box, holding it in her hand as she would one of her apples, raising it up so it would be eye level for her to watch as the pulse flashed- mimicked by the beat of the heart the curse had placed within the Huntsman as part of the careful lie that the Dark Curse had caused.

* * *

"You okay?" Emma asked uncertainly, clearly wondering if she had done something wrong.

Graham grinned "I remember" he practically sighed the words as he looked up at the most amazing woman he would ever know. Reviewed his memories of meeting her, working with her, slowly working past her walls. And she had  _kissed him._

And she had broken his curse with her kiss. It wasn't enough for him to kiss her unreciprocated- that would give him some confused jumbles and nothing more- they had to kiss each other and he would  _know_. He knew who he was and he knew what he wanted.

"Graham?" Emma's face was confused, nervous, as he stood up, his eyes caught by her- every play of emotion across her face- he was convinced he'd never be able to look away for the rest of eternity. He'd spend the rest of his life watching Emma Swan.

"I remember," he managed to repeat as he stood at his full height. He remembered everything- Emma telling him a wolf had made her crash the car, forcing her to stay in town. His brother, no doubt, doing what he could to help break the curse. How much it ended up accomplishing.

Graham would have to thank him later.

"You remember what?" Emma breathed out, her eyes regaining that fear that had disappeared right before she kissed him.

He would have to do something about that, he thought as he approached her slowly, like a wild animal in the woods.

She was very much wild and free, Emma Swan.

* * *

Regina examined the heart before her with a certain grimness. Sadness, even, if she was being honest with herself, which she strove never to do.

She would miss Graham. He was  _hers_ , the best she could expect with Daniel gone.

But Daniel always came first and that meant getting revenge on Snow White and her nauseating Prince. Which meant keeping the curse going, and that meant keeping Regina's happy ending.

Regina's happy ending did not involve watching any part of her world walk off happily into the sunset with  _Emma Swan_.

* * *

Graham felt a single tear fall down his cheek as he cupped Emma's face in between his hands. These hands had held a bow with deadly accuracy, had played with his brothers despite claws and nippy teeth, had carved a whistle for Snow White to use should she ever need help in the forest, had spared Snow's life.

He found himself doubly grateful for that- for without that one act of compassion, Emma Swan would not exist.

He did not want to exist in any Realm where that was the case.

He watched as Emma's eyes lit up and she grinned as she recognized the happiness that he was sure was spread all over his face, "Thank you," he whispered to her, unable to say more because there was one thing Graham Humbert- the Huntsman wanted to do in that moment.

He wanted to kiss her.

Graham watched her eyes flutter shut as he leaned in, keeping his own open for as long as he could stand- not wanting to miss a single expression on her face.

Of course, he planned on doing this again and again until he had those expressions memorized. And then he would keep doing this- just to make sure he hadn't missed any and they didn't suddenly change on him.

* * *

Regina, her eyes beginning to water at the  _waste_  of it all (why did Emma Swan have to ruin everything she touched?) began to squeeze.

* * *

Just as Graham was about to touch his lips to Emma's, he felt his heart jerk and spasm. He fell with a grunt, and the last thing he heard was Emma's panicked shout of his name.

His body crashed into his desk before falling to the floor, Emma's shouts no longer heard, her arms not felt as she picked him up, and shook him as if to wake him.

* * *

Regina let the dust slide out of her fist, releasing the last of it with a slight tremble.

Such a shame.

* * *

"Graham!" Emma lowered her head to listen for Graham's breath.

There was none.

She shook him one last time, still whimpering his name, trying to get him to come back to her.

With a sob, she stopped calling his name, and merely held him as she cried.

* * *

_Currently:_

Ada arrived as the ambulance, sirens completely silent, left. She found Emma sitting on the floor of the station, her arms still held out as if she was holding Graham's body.

One of the EMTs had dialed her number off of Emma's cell phone- he just took the first number on speed dial, hoping it would connect him to someone who could take care of the blonde.

Turns out it connected him to the only person left who could.

Ada had tears in her eyes as she sat beside Emma, her own breath hitching with repressed sobs.

Graham had been a good man.

Emma had deserved him.

Emma was motionless, her eyes still wet, her tears still flowing, her body still shaking with the sobs, but her eyes stared blankly ahead and her hands still clutched the station's phone that she had used to call 911, and Ada curled up next to her sister as they both cried.

"If he could, he would have stayed," Ada told her some time later, when they both had run out of tears and their shakes and slowed to the occasional tremor. They remained on the hard floor, shoulder to shoulder, though at one point their hands had come together and twined. Emma's head rested on Ada's shoulder, and Ada rested her own head on top of Emma's.

"I know."

That, really, was half the problem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cried writing the end of this.
> 
> I did love Gremma, and to have Graham killed, so pointlessly, was just...heartbreaking. And writing it from Regina's perspective? I felt like I was really stretching my writer's muscles there. Graham was the first causality of the curse (well, actually...second. Henry Senior was the first.), a soldier who went down in a war he wasn't even fully aware he was fighting. And his final moments? God, the way he looked at Emma, the way as soon as he remembered the first thing he wanted to do was thank her and then kiss her again? So powerful. And the fact that OUAT has largely ignored Graham and his influence on the story is a bit disappointing to me (We get a few mentions and Emma still wears his shoelace- be still my breaking heart...actually- does she still have it on? I haven't seen it since pre-Dark One. Oh god, they're going to break my heart and have her not wear it while she's the dark one or something aren't they? God.).
> 
> So I shall not do that here! Be prepared for, even as Captain Swan and everyone moves on, the remembrance of Graham, who saved both Snow and Charming, and fell in love with Emma, who had been the first in Storybrooke to get past those walls, and who would've stayed if he could.
> 
> Yeah, I still had Graham die. I actually toyed with the idea of letting him live, but then that would've been kind of like having two OCs to take care of and keep track of. Also, asking me to pick Gremma over Captain Swan would've been SUPER uncomfortable.
> 
> Also, Graham's death does serve a sort of purpose. So, there we have it.
> 
> On a slightly less depressing note: please drop a review. Did you guys cry at all? What did you think of Gremma when you were watching the show way back when we were all so innocent? Tell me your thoughts. It seems like a lot of you are reading, but I'm only getting a handful of reviews (and quick shout out to those who do review- you guys are awesome with a side of awesome sauce!)...I'm wondering about what you quiet ones are thinking. You've got me curious.


	17. That's the Thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma learns she'll have to fight for the Sheriff position, and Gold, oddly enough, offers his assistance. Henry's lost hope with the knowledge of the true cause of Graham's death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I'm pretty far along in my upcoming chapters, so here's a treat for you all: a chapter posted the day after the last update! Whoo!
> 
> Here we have the beginning of the episode "Desperate Souls." I've written the whole episode already, and I'll tell you now: it's another long one. Three chapters. I kind of get into Gold's head at several points and he's a wordy bastard. Housekeeping news: poll's still up, it's still pretty close, though I'm sort of leaning towards Robin Hood myself now. Tough to tell. I'm trying to write scenes for each pairing and see how they flow for me and so far I'm finding it easiest with Robin. Time will tell, though.

Ada slowly flipped through Henry's school photos. It had been two weeks since she had gotten them, but Ada hadn't been able to really bring herself to do anything about the oddness around Storybrooke. Not after Graham's death.

It wasn't like the Sheriff and she were particularly close- she had talked to him perhaps a handful of times, gotten to know him because he was Emma's boss and, as time had progressed, because Emma so obviously had liked him. The entire time she had spoken with him in the Sheriff's Station his eyes had kept darting to Emma and Ada figured half the time because it was nerves (the Sheriff was a smart enough man to know when he was being interviewed for suitability and smart enough to know the consequences would be dire with the wrong answer) and the other half it was just...to look at Emma. Even when the two had been working at their desks in silence, Ada would walk in and find Graham's eyes jumping to Emma every so often.

It was as if he couldn't quite believe she was there sometimes.

Emma had been a mess. Not that anyone else would've known, Emma hid carefully behind her walls as she grieved, not willing to give people more to hurt her with. Ada knew that instinct and shared it. But the two girls would hole up in Ada's room at Granny's or Mary Margaret's apartment and grieve.

No, Ada wasn't particularly close with the Sheriff, but she grieved him.

He would've stayed, if he could.

The funeral was...wrong. It felt so strange to stand there in her black dress, one hand clasped tightly with Emma's, hidden in the folds of her skirt until the public would be gone. Henry had stood with the Mayor towards the front, and Emma and Ada had hung back.

What felt particularly strange was watching the Mayor give Graham's eulogy.

Ada found it tasteless; Emma was past the point of caring.

They had retreated to the bug and then returned to the gravesite after everyone else had left, holding their own sort of ceremony.

And now here they were, two weeks later, Emma at work, Ada curled up at Granny's, flipping through photos that documented Henry growing up.

Henry never had the same classmates.

Each photo, every face but Henry's was new- no kid from First followed with Henry into his Second Grade class. Ada realized that they might switch classes around- but surely at least one kid would show up twice in Henry's class? But no- even when Ada tried to see if she could find a kid having skipped a year or two and then rejoined in Henry's class- no child seemed to repeat.

She felt a slight chill go up her spine.

Ada had a school to get to.

* * *

Emma held Graham's old walkie talkies in her hands, her heart squeezing a bit as she saw the box containing all Graham's possessions in the corner of her eye.

"That's the thing about children," Gold continued, sound more sincere than she had ever previously heard the pawnbroker, "Before you know it, you lose them."

* * *

Ada managed to get into the school easily- she went looking for Mary Margaret right away. The woman was in her classroom- getting some work done during recess as it was some other teacher's turn to chaperone today. Ada had no intention of having Mary Margaret know about the pictures and the eerie conclusions they helped Ada draw. Instead, she'd delay her presence in the school by chatting with the teacher about whatever excuse Ada could possibly find (she had a sinking feeling she'd have to talk about Emma and how she was dealing with Graham's death- the method being she wasn't) until Ada could step out and take a couple looks at the classrooms.

If the kids in Henry's pictures were still the same age as when those pictures had been taken, despite Henry's obvious growth...

Ada wasn't quite sure what she'd do then- she was sort of making this up as she went.

"Oh, Ada," Mary Margaret gave a sweet smile as the redhead walked into the classroom. Ada was suddenly thrust back into the memory of the first time she had come here- looking for Henry with the Mayor, Graham, and Emma. Mary Margaret had been the one to direct them to Henry's castle. "How are you? What brings you here?"

Ada's not entirely certain her half of the conversation for the next fifteen minutes was at all coherent. She had a feeling she had at one point mentioned something about the tv show Grey's Anatomy (which she didn't even watch). But, finally, blissfully, the bell rang, signalling part two of Ada's plan in the school today. She bid a distracted goodbye to Mary Margaret, who looked a bit confused and concerned, and wandered into the hallway, photographs clutched tightly in her hand.

First she watched the Kindergartners file into their classroom.

Then she saw the Second Graders.

The First Graders were at the other end of the hall, so she could barely see them.

But those Kindergartners were right next to Mary Margaret's classroom, and even as she gave a distracted wave to Henry, who seemed unusually subdued, Ada could hear her heartbeat in her ears rushing and drowning out all other sounds.

Those were the same kids Henry had gone to Kindergarten with five years ago.

* * *

Henry sat at the top of his castle and tried very hard not to cry. He hadn't cried since the night of Graham's funeral when he cried himself to sleep like a baby (as quietly as he could- he didn't want  _her_  to come in and check on him). But it was hard to hold back the tears, even for a ten-year-old, at the realization that the woman who he called "mom" was a murderer. He had read the book, but up until Graham...it had been a story. A story he believed, but it was still just words on paper. Graham's death was very real.

And Henry desperately didn't want anyone else to die. She had all the power here, he realized that now- no other adult believed in the curse and she had set it up so that this was her happy ending, this was her domain to do as she pleased.

Even kill.

Henry didn't want to go to another funeral. Graham's had been his first. Of course, with everyone never aging, never changing, before Emma arrived, the amount of people who died in Storybrooke had been...zero.

He had to stop trying to get Emma to break the curse. He didn't want to go to another funeral- not Miss Blanchard's, not Mr. Nolan's, not Emma's or Ada's and those were all possible if he kept pushing. If he kept fighting her.

Best to just let her have what she wanted.

Emma sat next to him, holding walkie talkies in her hand. Henry had always wanted a set, but he didn't exactly have another person he could use them with. Now he did, but he dared not let  _her_  know.

"Brought you something," Emma told him, a slight smile on her face. Henry felt the familiar warmth he got whenever he realized Emma smiled whenever she so much as saw him. That warmth was gone with her next words, though, "Thought we could use them for Operation Cobra."

"Thanks," he said, trying not to be rude. Emma gave him a little nudge with her shoulder, letting him know she had noticed something was wrong.

"Oh, come on- what's up? You've been ducking me for weeks."

 _I don't want her to kill you, too_. "I think we should drop the Cobra stuff for a while," he told her instead, not wanting to get her even more worried. If she got worried, she'd stay nearby, and if she stayed nearby, then  _she_  would get angry. There would be no telling what happened then. Henry'd rather not take the risk. "You don't play with the Curse. Look what happened to Graham."

"Henry," Emma sighed a little, leaning forward to try and get a good look at his face, "I told you they did an autopsy. It was totally natural causes."

Everyone kept saying Graham had died of a heart attack.

But Henry was not stupid- he was clever enough to figure out the curse and he was clever enough to figure out this.

 _Heart_  attack? Yes, something attacked Graham's heart- but it was Regina Mills, not some weird medical condition.

"Okay, whatever! You don't believe?" his voice was getting all wobbly, and he tried to control it but that only seemed to make his voice get louder, "Good. That should keep you from messing with it. And getting killed."

"You're worried about me?" Emma asked, and Henry couldn't help but notice how she sounded sort of surprised.

"She killed Graham because he was good," Henry tried to hold back the tears. He was ten and he had figured out the curse on his own while under the Evil Queen's watch- he was not a baby who needed everything fixed for him. He turned to Emma- the Savior but, more importantly, his  _real_  mom, the one who loved him enough to do whatever it took to do what was  _right_. The one who was surprised that he worried about her and always smiled when she saw him and never wanted him to be alone. "And you're good."

"Henry," Emma began, finding herself lost for words. She tried to think what Ada would have her say in this situation.

"Good loses," Henry continued, getting more and more visibly upset, "Good always loses. Because good has to play fair. Evil doesn't. She's evil," his voice went quiet, as if resigned, "This is probably best. I don't want to upset her any more."  _I don't want to go to another funeral._

With that, Henry put the walkie back in Emma's hands and left the castle. Emma sat there for awhile, trying to figure out how to fix things. Henry was worried about her? While that felt nice (when was the last time someone besides Ada was worried for her?) Emma needed to show Henry that he didn't need to worry about her- it was, after all, her job to worry about him. She couldn't stop Henry from feeling that way, but she could talk to him, calm him down, maybe give him a little comfort. The kid was obviously heartbroken at Graham's death and scared.

Emma had never been a parent. She had never seen examples of good parenting. But, she figured, she knew everything that you could possibly do wrong to a child, and for the rest she'd ask Ada for help.

She'd do the best she could do.

* * *

Emma gently picked up Graham's badge. The Sheriff badge. Gold had pointed out to her that after two weeks, the promotion was automatic.

Emma was beginning to hate that word: promotion. It was just another word for "Graham's gone."

Gathering her courage, she began to clip the badge to her belt, but was interrupted by Mayor Mills, "Oh, I'm sorry-  _That's not for you_."

"It's been two weeks," Emma reminded her, ready for Regina to begin her hissy fit anytime now, "Promotion is automatic."

"Unless the mayor appoints someone else within the time period," Regina countered, "Which I'm doing today."

Emma wondered briefly why it had taken Regina this long to get around to kicking her out of her station, but figured the Mayor had probably waited to the last minute to make it all the more painful- wait until Emma thought it was safe, and then swoop in and take it all. "So who's it gonna be?" Emma asked.

Regina seemed pleased at Emma's lack of fight, "After due reflection: Sidney Glass."

Emma couldn't help but raise her voice slightly. Graham wouldn't have wanted this. "Sidney from the newspaper? How does that even make sense?"

"Well, he's covered the Sheriff's office for as long as anyone can remember," Regina casually stated.

Emma realized the real reason quickly, "And he'll do whatever you want him to," she muttered. "You just cannot stand the fact that things have been getting better around here, can you?"

Regina was quick with the coming barb, "Better? Are you referring to Graham's death as " _better_ "?"

Emma's voice was tight and low in effort, "No."

Regina began her performance, raising her voice, "He was a good man, Miss Swan. He made this town safe. And, forgive me for saying this, you have not earned the right of wearing his badge."

"Graham picked me to be deputy," Emma pointed out.

"He was wrong."

"No," Emma countered, feeling anger simmering in her, feeling the urge to just  _punch the Mayor_  for daring to talk about Graham like she knew him at all- like she knew who he really was. For daring to question Graham's choices. "He knew what he was doing. He freed this office from your leash. You're not getting it back."

 **"** Actually - I just did. Miss Swan, you're fired," with that final pronouncement, she took the Sheriff's badge and swept out of the station.

Emma felt the beginnings of tears sting her eyes but refused to let them manifest.

So the Mayor wanted to fight her on this? Fine. She'd get a fight.

* * *

Ada and Emma had taken over Mary Margaret's kitchen. Loud music blared over the radio as Emma struggled with the toaster angrily and Ada poured them both another glass of scotch.

The teacher entered to find this scene and quickly turned off the radio.

"Toaster broken?" she casually asked Emma.

"Wasn't when I started with it," Emma grunted, giving up on the offending appliance, "Pretty sure it is now. I just needed to hit something."

"We'll get you a new one," Ada promised her from the table were she sipped her glass. Emma went to join her there, taking the scotch Ada held out for her wordlessly.

"What's going on?" Mary Margaret asked, not entire sure she wanted to know.

"Regina fired me so she can put one of her own puppets in as Sheriff. That's  _my_  job!" Emma looked seconds away from chucking her glass at the wall. Ada wisely pulled the bottle out of the blonde's reach.

"Also, I've had a disturbing realization that I'm trying to keep myself in denial about because...well, disturbing," Ada confessed.

"I've never heard you so passionate about your job before, Emma," Mary Margaret decided to tackle one problem at a time. Emma seemed to be closer to mass destruction, so that would be first. Ada just seemed in shock, so that could wait.

"Oh, I just know I want it back," Emma snarled. Mary Margaret was sure something about this had to do with Graham. But she hadn't been sure how to deal with Emma and her grief beyond making sure Ada was around. Mary Margaret was beginning to feel a bit at loose ends.

"There must be a reason," she prompted, trying to get Emma to open up a tad- keeping it all inside had, doubtless, led to the destruction of the toaster.

"Maybe," Emma began, before a knocking at the door interrupted the three women. Ada remained still, her eyes unfocused as she spilled the scotch. "I just want to beat her," Emma said, standing up and getting the door.

It swung open to reveal Mr. Gold. "Good evening, Miss Swan," he said in his smoothest voice, "Sorry for the intrusion- there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

Mary Margaret tapped Ada lightly on the shoulder, and the redhead turned to view Gold, having already guess it was him by the typical prickings that accompanied his presence. "I'll leave you three to talk," Mary Margaret said, retreating to her room. There was no point in getting Ada to move.

"Come on in," Emma invited, opening the door wider for Gold to enter. He spotted Ada, "Miss Ward."

She gave him a slight nod in return.

The trio sat down at Mary Margaret's table; Ada's eyes now glued to Gold as if examining him for a lie. Gold always seemed to know more than he let on, and Ada wanted to know how far that knowledge went.

"I- I heard about what happened," Gold began, smoothing his hands over the head of his cane, "Such an injustice."

"Yeah," Emma shrugged, "What's done is done."

Ada watched as Gold gave a small quirk of the lips before he sarcastically replied, "Spoken like a true fighter."

"Sometimes you have to pick your battles," Ada countered, "We've lost this one, time to make sure we win the next."

"Ah, but it's not quite over yet. Three people with a common goal can accomplish many things," Gold smiled at the two women before elaborating, "Three people with a common enemy can accomplish many more."

"Why is the Mayor your enemy?" Ada asked.

"Let's just say," Gold grinned at the red head, "She's in the way of me getting what I want."

"And what do you want?" Emma asked.

"That, dearie," he countered, "Is for me to know. What you need to know is: how would you like a benefactor?"

"A benefactor?" Emma repeated, not sure where this was going.

"You know," Gold mused aloud, his shrewd eyes looking off in the distance, "It's amazing how few people study the town charter."

Ada's head tilted, her curiosity spiked. "And what does the town charter say about this particular situation?" she asked.

Gold gave a grin that would've sent a chill up Ada's spine had her prickings still not been going off at Gold's vicinity. She was wary, but Gold was, doubtless, a powerful ally to have against the Mayor. He seemed to be the only one in town who could get what he wanted from the woman with barely a fight. That implied some power.

"It's quite comprehensive on the Mayor's authority. Or maybe she is not quite as powerful as she seems."

* * *

"Mr. Gold!" Ada shouted, running after the man who had just exited Mary Margaret's apartment.

"Miss Ward," the pawnbroker pivoted towards her, placing both hands on his cane as he leaned slightly forward to brace himself on it. "What can I do for you?"

"I get the feeling you know a lot more than you let on," she said, pulling out Henry's Kindergarten class picture and holding it in front of him, "You want to tell me something about this?"

"It appears to be an old class photo of young Henry, very charming," he grinned at her.

Ada shook her head, "I mean about how, aside from Henry, none of these kids have aged since this photo was taken. They were still in the Kindergarten class when I had gone to the school the other day."

"Oh, I think it's been quite a bit longer than since that photo was taken. And what were you doing at the school?"

"Checking a theory, which leads me to you- the only person who seems to be successful in getting Mayor Mills do to what you want. Odd, isn't in? That a pawnbroker has so much power over the Mayor."

"I think we can agree," Gold leaned a little closer, almost whispering now, "That I am more than a pawnbroker."

"Yes," Ada's voice was flat, "But the question is- just who  _are_  you?"

Gold grinned and leaned away, his voice returning to normal levels, "Let's just agree, Miss Ward, that when it's all over- you remember who helped your sister and to whom  _you_  owe a favor."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end of "Desperate Souls" part 1! Whew. Ada and Gold's POVs of each other actually kind of amuse me we'll see a lot of that in the upcoming two chapters. Watching those two trying to outsmart each other is going to be quite entertaining. I'll tell you this right now- Ada's going to have a sort of weird relationship with Gold. She's a big fan of cleverness, and Gold's pretty crafty. She'll have a sort of respect for his intelligence while also disliking his actions quite a lot, I tried to hint at that when I wrote her thoughts on the storybook. It's going to be a bit awkward for Ada, cuz Gold'll do something and she'll kind of sit there like: "Oh, god, that's smart. I'm impressed despite myself." and everyone else will be wondering "What the hell is wrong with you? That's terrible." And, of course, Ada will think it's an absolutely horrible thing to do, but she can't help but be impressed with the intelligence behind it all. It's a...respect/hate relationship. But out of all the villains, Ada's going to want Gold on her side most of all. She'll think he's the greater asset so she'll probably be pretty invested in converting him to the good guys. Regina's kind of pure anger and hate as far as Ada can see, and Hook...she'll be suspicious of his intentions towards Emma, so she'll probably be spending the most amount of time with Gold among those three. Should be interesting.
> 
> Don't forget to keep voting and messaging me your thoughts! Please, drop a review while you're here!


	18. Chess and Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma fights for the Sheriff position, Ada fights for answers, and a fire is started.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I'm back! I had a wonderful Thanksgiving break with my family back home, and just got off the bus back at school (due to an unforeseen road problem (which I napped through, so what exactly it was I don't know) my bus ride was, instead of it's usual six hours, seven and a half hours.
> 
> Well, it was an experience, and I managed to make pretty decent headway into my new book. So silver lining.
> 
> For my fellow Americans: happy belated Thanksgiving. For the Canadians: happy super belated Thanksgiving (by like a month I think?) and for the rest of you: insert appropriate holiday greeting here if appropriately timed.
> 
> Also- I should have some more time than usual during my finals insanity (which is coming up...now) for posting and writing since during the madness of Black Friday shopping I managed to get all but three people on my list done. The presents are sitting in my room at home, waiting for me to come back and wrap them (not gonna lie- wrapping paper is probably my favorite part)! So I won't be trying to figure out gifts and finals at the same time! Yay!

Ada stayed behind as she watched Emma slam the door to the bug shut and storm into the Mayor's office, ready to announce her running for the position of Sheriff. Turns out, the Mayor could appoint a  _candidate_  for Sheriff, no more.

Ada ran her hands along the roof of the bug, not sure where to go or what to do next. Now was definitely not the time to drag Emma to see how the Kindergarten class hadn't aged a day since Henry was five. Not with Emma still struggling with Graham's death. Not with Emma trying to beat Regina at her own game. Not with Gold being surprisingly and unusually helpful.

Ada would need to figure out his motives.

What did he want that Regina was keeping from him?

The least of many questions, for now.

Emma had told her about Henry- told her how the boy refused to have anything to do with Operation Cobra anymore, convinced Graham's death wasn't an accident.

Ada wasn't sure she could tell him otherwise right now.

She started walking towards Granny's- she needed to come up with a list. A to-do list. At the very least it would help her sort out the tangle of her thoughts.

Ada slid into her usual stool and ordered a coffee from one of the Lucas women, but was to distracted to note which one.

She sighed into the brew.

1\. Make sure Henry was safe. That had to be the priority. Henry and his safety- both metal and physical. While she had no reason to yet believe he was in physical danger, she had every reason to believe he was in mental distress and had been since long before Graham's death. If no one but Henry was aging...god, she didn't want to think about it, but she needed to. For Henry.

2\. Make sure Emma was safe. That would involve finding out Gold's motivations, and Ada wasn't sure how to even begin tackling the maze that was that man's actions and words. Gold could outmaneuver a tactical genius. Ada probably didn't stand a chance, but she could appreciate cleverness, and Gold seemed to get a twisted sense of enjoyment out of verbally sparring with her. She could use that to her advantage.

3\. She needed to figure out a way to help Emma stay as Sheriff. Time for some campaigning. Now, Emma wouldn't go for a smear campaign, but that certainly wouldn't stop Ada. She'd whisper into whatever ears she could the full truth of Regina Mills, and point out that if Regina lost the Sheriff's department, then it was only a step away from her loosing the Mayor's office, and imagine what could be done then?

So. There was a to-do list. Ada figured she should take advantage of Gold's relative willingness to cooperate and use him to accomplish some, if not all, of her goals.

The only question was how.

Somehow, Ada got the feeling she was about to make a deal with the devil.

Hopefully whatever she got from the crossroads was worth her soul.

* * *

Rumplestiltskin was amused. That was the only word for it. He rarely found himself genuinely amused nowadays. Often, his amusement was a sort of forced emotion. He was left in situations where he could either be amused, or furious, and in order to keep his head and thus gain his own ends, he forced himself into amusement. Rarely was he amused without any sort of force behind it.

Miss Ward was a delightful twist in the tale he was spinning here.

In many ways, the redhead was much more ruthless than her sister. Rumple wondered if it had something to do with being born and bred from the Land Without Magic. Miss Swan, for all her upbringing in this Realm, still had a touch of the Enchanted Forest about her- a bit of her parent's nature peeking out from beneath the harshness of the lack of nurture she'd experienced.

It was Miss Ward's ruthlessness that brought Rumplestiltskin some genuine amusement today.

"I think we should bring to light some of Regina's transgressions, heavily documented for proof."

"And what transgressions has our dear Mayor committed?"

Ada was silent briefly, and Gold amused himself by noting just how uncomfortable she seemed to be in his presence. She seemed to have almost a sixth sense about the denizens of Storybrooke. She avoided Albert Spencer, himself and the Mayor whenever she could, at least. "Listen, you and I both know she's not a mother so much as someone playing with a toy doll. Now, emotional abuse isn't taken as seriously by society as physical abuse, but we can make people listen with the right sort of persuasion. We show Regina is an unfit mother, and voters won't be so keep to pick her candidate."

"With the added benefit of assisting your beloved sister if she should pursue a custody battle."

"I'd think you'd appreciate the use of one stone to kill two birds."

"Indeed," Rumple had to hold himself from releasing his signature giggle.  _Mr. Gold_  did not giggle.  _Rumplestiltskin_  giggled with that malicious delight- not Mr. Gold. And he had to remain Mr. Gold for now.

"Now, you're clever, and you've stated that Regina is keeping something you want from you. I'd imagine any loss of power on her part is a furthering of your own goals as well as mine. I know we can get Archie Hopper to testify in our favor for a custody battle, but he won't betray doctor-patient confidentially to help us spread rumors here. Mary Margaret could be manipulated into saying a few things, but we all know she's too sweet to speak ill of anyone, so we can use her to reinforce, but she can't be the source of it all. I can't do it, I'll just be seen as trash talking someone for the sake of Emma. Emma won't do it, and probably shouldn't even know about this plan to begin with."

"So who does that leave us?"

"Well, you."

"And who would listen to me? I'm not exactly a popular figure around here, dearie."

"No, but you're not known to be allied with Emma and I- in fact, last anyone saw us interacting was our dispute over Alexandra."

"And how is the bundle of joy?"

"None of your business. If you go against Regina, it won't be seen as siding with us or even as a favor for us. But we need more. We need to arrange it so people witness things."

"Things?"

"Henry doesn't have any friends, Regina keeps him isolated. Regina also leaves him alone for hours at a time. He's ten, but he needs someone to at least check on him in case something happens. Also," Ada takes a deep breath, ready to lay this particular card on the table, "Regina couldn't have legally adopted Henry. He was born in Arizona, only a citizen of that state could've adopted him."

Gold grinned, "What a particularly interesting tidbit of information."

"You remember when Regina adopted him? Was there ever a home visit or anything? There should've been quite a lengthy process."

"No, not that I can recall."

Ada tried very hard not to hyperventilate at this new information.

"Don't worry, dearie- I'll make sure this rumor reaches the right ears."

Somehow, Ada felt this was probably the one thing she could trust Gold to do.

* * *

Rumplestiltskin carefully watched a small flame, dancing from a lighter, as he contemplated his last visitor. Yes, Miss Ward was an interesting addition to the game. Without magic, he couldn't use his abilities to see the future, but he felt he'd had enough experience to make reasonable predictions. Miss Ward...she'd be useful. She might even speed up the timetable of things. Which, in Gold's opinion, was only for the better.

After all, the sooner Miss Swan broke the curse, the sooner he could leave town and find Bae.

Bae. His boy. The reason behind this all- Gold hadn't really done much, in the end. He'd just arranged that Regina had the skills to use the Dark Curse, and he'd made sure the Dark Curse was created according to his needs, and he'd ensured Snow and Charming fell in love and conceived in the right time for Emma to be the Savior. If he hadn't been around things would've played out much the same, he'd imagine. Regina would've done something other than the Dark Curse at hearing the news of Snow White's happiness, of course, but it would've been equally drastic (and probably equally doomed to fail- something Rumple couldn't help but notice was those with their True Love by their side rarely were knocked down for long). No, Rumple had just made sure that the future he had seen had played out to his advantage.

He would be reunited with his boy.

Miss Ward would see to that, ironically enough, by reuniting Miss Swan with her own boy.

Life was full of ironies when you looked at it with a bit of foreknowledge.

It was a shame about the Sheriff though- Gold had seen potential there. But, alas, Regina ended up (unintentionally, not that that was much comfort to Rumple) stymieing his plans with her little murder.

As the flame danced, keeping Gold's eyes in a sort of meditative daze (after all, he hadn't had to do any sort of manipulation on this scale in quite a while, and while previous to the curse it would've been child's play to him, there were new rules in this land and he had no magic or foresight at his disposal), the bell above his door rung with a sort of angered fervor.

Well, one needn't guess wildly as to who was visiting him now.

Flicking the flame out, Gold stood as Regina slammed the door back shut, flipping the store sign to "Closed."

"Regina," he couldn't help but greet her with a smile. Yes, his day looked to be most amusing. "Shall I remove some things? Make a bit of space for your rage?"

Gold never could stand rage. Rage was blinding, and one should always keep a clear head. It was clear heads that kept you from promising "anything" when you didn't really mean it. Of course, Rumplestiltskin took advantage of others' rage constantly. He considered it a sort of justice. If you were foolish enough to make a deal with him without thinking it through, you got what you deserved, as far as he was concerned.

"You found that loophole in the town carter," Regina accused as she stalked forward. Gold couldn't help but smirk. Talking with Regina was usually a fun exercise in pushing all the right buttons. A game of chess in a way.

He loved it.

Gold casually walked over to his cabinet, letting the Mayor know with his ease of movement that he was not intimidated by her. She never could stand when someone wasn't intimidated by her. It made her foolish. Reckless.

Those were two more traits Rumplestiltskin gleefully took advantage of.

"Legal documents- contracts, if you like- always been a fascination of mine."

"Yes," the brunette woman kept her tone even, and Gold began plotting how to best ruin that composure, "You love to trifle with technicalities."

 _The Devil's in the details_ , Gold felt a sort of kinship with that particular phrase from this Realm. Little did Mayor Mills realize her downfall was written in the details. Her blindness would leave her unprepared for the fall.

Rumplestiltskin wasn't terribly good at sympathizing with those who weren't as clever as him- he often wondered how others missed things that were, to his eyes, obvious.

He had no sympathy for Regina. She took Belle from him after all. Oh, it may have been Belle's father that killed her- but it was Regina that forced his hand into making Belle leave. He would never forgive himself for that. More importantly, he would never forgive Regina.

But Bae. It was all for Bae, in the end.

"I like small weapons, you see," he lectured the Mayor as he examined his cabinet, only appearing to give Regina half his attention. "The needle, the pen," he toyed with the Mayor by giving her a brief moment of his attention, turning to look at her for only a moment before turning away (she never could stand it when she wasn't the focal point of a room now- too used to being the head of the parade, having everything her way), "The fine point of a deal. Subtlety- not your style, I know."

"You're a bastard," she spat.

Really, if that was the best she could come up with- evidently he wasn't the only one who had lost their touch during twenty eight years of monotony. "I think your grief's getting the better of you, Regina" he chuckled, aiming to infuriate her further, "Shame, what happened to Graham." Having achieved his end, he now kept his eyes on her. Regina did, after all, have the occasional moment of unpredictability.

His barb hit home, "Don't you talk about him. You know  _nothing_ ," her face lost some of her composure before she quickly brought it back. Gold reflected that, under the circumstances, Regina hardly was one to talk about knowing nothing about the Huntsman. Ironic, how she could so clearly grieve a man she herself killed. Of course, she loved the son she lied to and manipulated as well.

"What's there to know?" he said instead, "He died."

Regina leaned against his counter, attempting to hold his attention now she'd gained it. Gold fought a grin. "Are you really going up against me?"

"Not directly," he corrected, "We are, after all, both invested in the common good," that lie was almost too much for even him, but he continued on with only a pause, "We're just picking different sides."

"Well," Regina sniffed, "I think you picked a really slow horse this time. It's not like you to back a loser."

"She hasn't lost yet," Gold took great joy in reminding the Mayor.

"She will," Regina insisted. Though, whether she was trying to convince her old teacher or herself more was up for debate.

Rumple carefully considered his next attack before launching, "Never underestimate someone who's acting for their child."

"He's  _not_  her child.  _Not legally_." Regina's reactions, while always predictable, were nevertheless entertaining.

 _By that definition, he's not yours either,_  Gold enjoyed the thought before deciding to keep that particular barb to himself. It never does to display all your cards in the first round.

It was perhaps a good thing she had never learned of her sister- the Mayor was not good at sharing.

"Oh, now who's trifling with technicalities?"

Gold took a moment to appreciate the look of pure rage on Regina's face.

Good to know he hadn't lost his touch.

* * *

School was hell, Henry had decided.

He'd heard people say before that children could be cruel, but he'd never really experienced it before himself. Most people were too terrified of being on the Mayor's bad side to pay any attention to him, cruel or otherwise.

Not so today.

The whispers, the stares, and the itchy feeling on the back of his neck that followed him around all day that told him they stared even more when his back was turned were slowly driving Henry insane.

Miss Blanchard picked up what was going on and tried her best- but there was only so much you could do against whispers children were repeating from their parents.

Henry felt nauseous and like he didn't fit in his own skin. He was, in short, miserable. And even though it would probably make  _her_  angry- he needed to see Emma.

He grabbed a paper for himself as he left school on his way to Granny's.

* * *

Ada was, admittedly, half asleep when Henry sat across from her in Granny's that afternoon. She had been up late working on strategy for achieving her three goals, and had slept till noon (one of the benefits of her being on leave from work since coming to Storybrooke- she could afford to have a lie-in), and didn't really notice the paper Henry had clutched in his hands. She had noticed when his "hey" was less than his usual enthusiastic greeting, but had chalked it up to Graham's death still hanging over the boy, along with his subsequent depression, and had gripped one of his hands, squeezing it briefly.

"Granny," she waved down the elderly woman, "Two hot chocolates with cinnamon, please, and another coffee for me."

Emma arrived just as Ada placed the order and quickly flopped herself beside Henry. The boy remained silent, toying with the paper.

"How was school?" Emma asked, smiling gratefully as Ruby placed a hot chocolate before her and her son before pouring more coffee into Ada's mug.

"Okay," Henry answered, his downcast tone not lost on either woman. Their eyes met briefly in silent conference. Emma attempted to probe slightly.

"You're reading that paper pretty hard," she commented, noting how Henry's gaze hadn't left the Mirror's latest edition.

"Sidney wrote it," he informed the women before flipping the paper over, making it's headline visible before placing it flat on the table, where both could see.

_**Ex-Jailbird - Emma Swan Birthed Babe Behind Bars** _

Ada was fairly certain she went speechless with rage at that moment.

Emma seemed to be in shock as she took the paper gently into her hands.

"Is it a lie?" Henry asked, his voice flat. Ada suddenly came down from her rage in less than a moment.

"C'mon- I think we should talk about this somewhere else," she suggested, rising from the table. She tossed the necessary bills down before herding mother and son towards her room at Granny's.

They all settled on the bed, Henry book-ended by the sisters as Emma clutched the paper and Ada draped an arm around his shoulders.

"It's not a lie," Emma confirmed as she gained her voice back, though her shock was easy to hear.

"I was born in jail?" Henry asked, his voice incredulous, but not filled with any sort of anger towards Emma, at least.

"Henry, you have to understand that life was very...different for Emma then," Ada stalled, not sure where to continue from that. How much to reveal? How much to keep back? He was, after all, only ten, and never should've found out this information to begin with. Ada felt another moment of blinding rage before it simmered back down. "She was a foster kid who had all the odds stacked against her, and she fell in with...anyways, the people she fell in with both in and out of the system were thieves, just to survive for many of them, and Emma learned how to survive like that, too.

"Like Robin Hood?" Henry, as ever, referenced it back to a story.

"Not quite so noble," Ada hesitantly replied, "More like...have you ever seen the movie Oliver and Company?"

"No," Henry shook his head.

"Oh, well, we should watch that some time," Ada had officially run out of steam, and Emma took her turn at the plate.

"These records were supposed to be sealed. Tell me you're not scarred for life are you?" she asked warily.

"I'm not," Henry assured the women, his voice still downcast despite his words, "Well, not by this."

"Good," Emma said, folding up the paper, "Then let's throw this out and get our news from somewhere more reliable. Like the internet," she joked half-heartedly, trying to make Henry smile.

"This is what I've been trying to tell you," Henry suddenly began, his words blending together as he expelled them in a rush as if to get them  _out_  where they no longer could fester inside him, "Good can't beat evil, because good doesn't do this kind of thing. My mom plays dirty – that's why you can't beat her. Ever."

"Henry," Ada sighed, rubbing her hand up and down his back gently. "Let's forget about Regina for a moment and talk about this. I'm sure you've got questions and, while we probably can't tell you everything, you do deserve some answers. And, while we're at it, I've got some questions, too."

"You didn't know about this?" he asked the redhead, surprised.

"No, I know about that," she gestured vaguely towards the newspaper, "But I want to know about you. What happened at school today? What with...this," she gave another vague wave towards the article.

"The other kids don't really talk with me to begin with," he told her, his eyes caught on his shoes as he kicked his feet against the bed-frame. "But I guess it  _was_  different today."

"Oh, god, kid," Emma sighed, "I'm sorry."

Henry shrugged, "It's not your fault. You said the records were sealed."

"They were," Ada muttered, "So Sydney broke the law to report them. Which...we can use against him."

"It won't make up for that article, though, will it?" Henry was the picture of dejection.

"Hey, don't count us out yet," Emma tried to cajole him, "I've got a new ally. Mr. Gold said he's going to help."

"Mr. Gold?" Henry asked incredulously, "He's even  _worse_  than she is. Ada already owes him a favor, you don't want to owe him one, too. Don't do this," he begged.

"Hey," Ada broke in, "Don't you give up hope, now," she fumbled for the right thing to say for a moment before deciding, "You've read the stories- you know how sometimes things seem hopeless for the heroes, how sometimes it seems like there's no way to win. Did you think Charming believed he was going to be able to slay that dragon when he first had to pretend to be his twin? Do you think Snow White didn't think the only choice for her was to escape the Kingdom, leaving her people to Regina's control? Do you think heroes never doubt themselves? Never wonder if it's all too hard- all too much? You  _know_  they do," Henry's eyes were on her now, hope slowly beginning to make a return, "But they never let themselves  _really_  lose hope, at least not for long. And what happens? They fight, they work hard, and they hold on long enough to come out on top. They slay the dragon; take back the kingdom; they let go of their doubt. Now, you say Emma's the Savior? Well, you're the one who brought her here. I'm pretty sure that makes you a hero, too."

"Can you hold onto hope?" Emma asked him, putting her arm around his shoulders as she gave him a small smile, "Just a little longer?"

Henry's spine straightened, his eyes began to sparkle again, and he smiled, "Yeah, I can do that."

Ada and Emma exchanged triumphant looks over his head.

* * *

Henry happily sipped on another hot chocolate liberally doused with cinnamon and whipped cream- the sympathy of the Lucas women was never given without food stuffs, and the part of the town worth knowing was giving full support to Henry. Whether or not that would extend to Emma had yet to be tested, but Ada and her sister stood side by side off to the side as Henry enjoyed the first beginnings of his depression lifting.

"It's not perfect, but I think we've got him out of it for a little while at least," Ada commented to Emma, her eyes never wavering from the boy, "We've bought some time."

"I can't believe she crossed that line- hurting Henry," Emma trailed off.

"But she's  _been_  hurting him," Ada pointed out, "Leaving him isolated; leaving him home alone for hours at a time; that whole mess with Archie. Those  _two_  whole messes with Archie. Coming after you like that- it's an attack to Henry. We're the adults, we have to show him how to act, and she's not giving him a good example to follow."

"I can't leave him to her any longer, can I?"

"I would say not."

"I guess-"

"I've already started getting evidence together for a custody battle," Ada cut Emma off, having known where this was all leading weeks ago. "I may owe Gold a favor, but he seems to be in a strangely happy mood lately and I've been taking advantage of it. I can get him to help with this. He's the only lawyer worth using."

"He'll play dirty."

"I don't care. As long as Henry ends up safe. I'll call in every favor I have if I have to."

"Well, then, I guess we're attacking from all sides now."

"Pretty much."

"I think I need to go have a chat with Madame Mayor," Emma grimly said, gripping the newspaper she still had in her hand.

"Don't show all our cards yet, please. Keep the custody battle to yourself until we've got all our ducks in a row."

"I will. I'm just going to have a discussion about looking out for Henry."

"You're wasting your breath," Ada warned.

"Well," Emma returned, starting towards the door, "At least yelling will make me feel better."

* * *

"This was a juvie record," Emma began without preamble, "This was sealed by court order. I don't know how you got it, but that's an abuse of power and illegal."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Regina continued to close up her office for the day, unruffled, "You didn't want people to know you cut his cord with a shiv?"

Emma couldn't believe how obtuse the woman was being- she certainly hoped Regina hadn't talked like that in front of Henry. "I don't care what people know, but this hurts Henry."

"He would've learned eventually," Regina disregarded the concern with a wave of her hand, "We all lose our heroes at some point." As the Mayor exited her office, Emma followed, not nearly done yet.

"He doesn't need to lose anything more. He's depressed, Madame Mayor," she couldn't believe Regina hadn't noticed- she had to have noticed- but Emma pushed on, "He doesn't have any...any hope. Don't you see that?"

"He's fine," the brunette easily replied as she switched off the building's lights.

"He's not fine," Emma insisted, "I mean, think about it. Watching his adoptive mother throw an illegal smear campaign against his birth mother? You don't think that would be upsetting?"

"All I did was expose him to the truth," Regina answered evenly before pivoting on her heels to look Emma dead in the eye, her expression completely calm and composed, "And as for the legality- I did nothing wrong. But you and Sidney will have a chance to get into all that at the debate."

"Debate?" Emma's head spun from the change in topic.

"Yes, Miss Swan, there's a debate," Regina replied, almost pityingly, as if Emma were a silly child who had asked a very stupid question. Regina moved for the stairs, and Emma followed, "You two can talk about jail time and juvie records and maybe even your new association with Mr. Gold. He's a snake, Miss Swan. You need to be careful who you get into bed with."

"I'm not getting into bed with anyone," Emma returned, still wondering when they had gotten off the subject of Henry's mental health. Regina reached for the doorknob to exit, "I'm just fighting fire with-" but her sentence was never finished as Regina opened the door, unknowingly setting off an explosion, setting the room on fire. Both women were thrown back in the blast, the Mayor injured by the debris and both coughing from the smoke. Emma freed the Mayor, moving quickly, "Alright, come on," she ordered, taking charge, "Let's go! We got to get out of here," she started up the stairs.

"I can't move!" Regina shouted, "You have to get me out. Help me!" she held up a hand towards Emma, her eyes wide and frightened. It was strange, Emma had time to wonder, that look in Regina's eyes. It was as if she sincerely wasn't sure Emma would save her life, after everything she'd done. Emma had time to wonder if that was because, had the situation been reversed, Regina probably would've left her to burn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, so there's that. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! What'd you think?
> 
> Some housekeeping: poll's still up, though I'll admit to leaning pretty heavily towards Robin Hood at this point. I'm writing scenes with both pairings and the Roba scenes are flowing really well. I think it might have something to do with reading Can't-Escape-My-Fandoms' Broken Souls Mend Hearts- it's got a Jefferson/Ruby pairing that I can't get out of my head. The poll will probably be taken down soon since I'm coming pretty close to a decision. But don't let that stop you from messaging me! It's honestly one of the best parts of writing here. I love talking with you guys. Even when it gets super lengthy. :D Ok- especially when it gets super lengthy.


	19. Significant Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma struggles with the ethics of defeating the Mayor and how to mourn Graham.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we have the next and final part of "Desperate Souls" which has been quite fun for me to write. I do enjoy writing Rumple, both from his POV and from others'. He's a complicated character that I really enjoy because he works so hard to keep everything- especially himself- under control. You rarely see Gold fly off the handle, unlike other villains, and it's because of that that he's probably the most successful villain of them all. He's very calm, cool, collected. So interesting.
> 
> Housekeeping stuff: poll's still up, I'm pretty firmly in Robin Hood camp now, but either way, it won't be happening until, god, season four.
> 
> Wow...I have to write three more seasons and I'm only half-way through the first one. God, this is going to be forever. Though, I am all-powerful, I could speed things up if I wanted.
> 
> We'll see. Till then- enjoy the new chapter!

Ada was waiting in Gold's Pawnshop for the man himself to arrive. Where he had gone, she didn't know.

She wasn't sure she  _wanted_  to know, honestly.

The bell gave a slight jingle as he walked in.

"Now, to what do I have the honor of a second visit in as many days?" he questioned, walking slowly towards Ada as he effortlessly avoided his various piles and counters with his cane. Ada imagined years of practice enabled him to walk around his store without glancing at his feet.

She'd rather not think of how many years, precisely.

"Emma's decided to start the custody battle."

"Excellent timing from Miss Swan," Gold commented.

Ada thought she smelled the briefest hint of smoke, but it was gone before she could be sure it wasn't her imagination.

Gold opened a drawer of an antique desk with a key he withdrew from his pocket, taking out a manila folder that was within.

"I think you'll find this most helpful," he told Ada as he set the file before her on the counter.

She was, however, distracted by the black fingerprints he left behind.

"What's on your hands?" she asked.

* * *

Emma looked around the burning building, seeking anything that could help her get out. Spotting such a godsend, she began to move towards it, stepping over where Regina was sprawled across the steps. "You're going to leave me here, aren't you?" Regina said, almost calmly, but the grip she had on Emma's arm was anything but calm. Her eyes were wild, and Emma, slightly disgusted the woman could think so lowly of her, pulled her arm out of the Mayor's iron grasp, and turned to jump through the flames.

Ada was going to kill her for this stunt.

Emma practically ripped the fire extinguisher off the wall and tried to clear the doorway of flames. Determining she'd cleared it enough, she stepped back through, hoisted Madame Mayor up, wrapping the woman's arm around her shoulders, and began leading her to safety, using the extinguisher where necessary, and kicking down the door to the exit.

They were free.

A blinding light from a camera caused Emma to stumble slightly (the hacking coughs the smoke had caused weren't helping the issue) and she tried to set Regina down.

"Ow, ow, ow!" the woman shouted, "My ankle! Set me down gently!" she ordered.

" _Seriously_?" Emma managed to ask between coughs, "You're complaining about  _how_  I saved your life?"

The wail of the sirens from the firetrucks made it difficult to hear, but Regina's voice carried enough, "The Firemen are here, it's not like we were really in danger," she turned away from Emma to examine her ankle.

Emma continued coughing, "Fine," she began to walk away, "Next time I'll just...I'll just," she sighed and gave into the truth, "Oh, you know what? Next time I'll do  _the same thing_. And the time after that because that's what  _decent human beings do_. That's what  _good_  people do."

Regina gave no response aside from another cough.

* * *

"Ah, well," Gold gave a little shrug, "Sometimes we have to get our hands a bit dirty to accomplish our ends."

Ada was silent for a moment. While she agreed with the sentiment...she wasn't sure she would agree with the actions behind it.

* * *

Regina was reclined on a stretcher, a fireman's coat around her shoulders, oxygen mask covering her face. Hearing the murmurs of the people around her, seeing her chances of the Sheriff's election going down the toilet, she angrily ripped the mask away from her mouth.

"Enough!" she tossed it away from her.

"Regina," a paramedic tried to stop her, but she was in no mood.

"I'm fine," she bit out.

Sidney choose that unfortunate moment to come up and take a picture, "Nice shot of the victim?"

"Sidney?" Regina was in shock. She knew her pawns were imbeciles (that's part of the reason they were, after all, pawns) but this was carrying it a bit too far. "The hell are you doing?" she gripped the front of his suit in her fist, dragging him forward, "Are you  _trying_  to hand this election to her?"

The man appeared honestly befuddled, "But...it's news."

"She's the competition, you fool!" Regina was fairly sure her night could not get worse, as she pushed Sidney away and brought a hand to her head- this was giving her a headache.

* * *

"Gold," she looked up at the man, her grip tightening on the file he'd handed her. "What've you done?"

"A little...accelerant for our plan."

* * *

Emma knelt before Henry, letting Archie, Granny, Ruby, and Mary Margaret wander off to talk about the campaign. She wanted to win something far more important right now: Henry's hope.

" _This_  is how good wins," she told him, "You do something good and people see it, and then they want to help you."

Henry gave her a heart-stopping grin, "Maybe you're right."

"You see, Henry?" Emma drove the point home, "We don't have to fight dirty," she turned to face the building, and noticed a piece of fabric. Fabric that looked familiar- she had seen it before. Literally in Gold's hands earlier that day.

Emma got a sinking feeling she may have just lied to Henry- they might've been fighting dirty after all.

"You should call Ada," Henry told her, voice chipper again, and Emma couldn't bring herself to tell him, to send him back to the depression that had surrounded him in the weeks since Graham's death. "She'll be worried."

"Yeah," Emma trailed off, her hand automatically grasping her phone.

Ada.

* * *

Ada's phone ringing broke the tension between her and Gold and she practically ripped it out of her pocket.

"Emma?"

"A- where are you?"

"Gold's- why- what's happened?"

"Stay there and keep Gold with you- I'm on my way."

* * *

It was minutes later that Emma stormed in.

"Lots of visitors today," Gold commented mildly, "Do hope you're not going to break my little bell."

"You set the fire," Emma accused.

Ada jumped in here, "Fire? What fire?"

"I've been right here, Miss Swan, as Miss Ward can tell you," Gold commented.

Emma stomped forward, lifting a piece of fabric under Gold's nose, "Take a whiff. It smells like your sheep crap oil. Turns out it's flammable."

"Oh. Are you sure?" Gold calmly returned, unperturbed, "There's some construction working on at City Hall at the moment. There's loads of flammable solvents used in construction."

"Why did you do it?" Emma insisted.

Gold took a step around his desk, , setting down the rag he had been using to clean his hands. Ada's eyes tracked its movement, " _If_  I did it- If I did it that would be because, you cannot win without something big. Something like, uh, oh I don't know. Being the hero in a fire?"

"How could you even know I'd be there at the right time?" Emma wondered aloud. Ada was beginning to piece together what had happened.

She'd been right- she hadn't liked the actions behind the the sentiment.

"Regina's not the only one with eyes and ears in this town. Or maybe... I'm just  _intuitive,_ were I involved," Gold smirked.

"I could've run and left her there," Emma argued.

Ada stumbled over her words, still absorbing it all, but certain she'd figured it out, "I think we all know, Emma, that you'd never leave anyone behind."

"I can't go along with this," Emma shook her head.

Gold suddenly turned cool. Not calm, but icy. "You just did. This is just the price of election, Miss Swan." He gave a bit of shrug.

"A price I'm not willing to pay," Emma countered, throwing the fabric down, "Find another sucker!"

"Okay. Go ahead, expose me. But if you do," he paused, clearly waiting for the two women to hang on his every word, "Just think about what you'll be exposing and what you'll be walking away from," Emma glared, heading for the door, Ada only a step behind. "Oh, yes," Gold added, "And um,  _who_  you might be disappointing," at that, both women glared- knowing exactly who he was talking about.

The sisters left Gold's Pawnshop deeply unsettled.

* * *

Mary Margaret was stapling up flyers stating "Swan for Sheriff," when she literally bumped into David Nolan.

"Oh!" she gasped, "David! Hi!"

She hadn't seen him since Graham's funeral, over two weeks ago now. They'd chatted briefly, but Mary Margaret had been more focused on Emma and Ada at the time, and David had respected that, concerned for the two women, particularly the blonde, himself.

"Mary Margaret, hi," he smiled easily, returning her greeting, and Mary Margaret sighed a bit in relief, relaxing at the sight.

"I was just putting up some flyers for Emma."

David nodded, "How's she doing?"

Mary Margaret shrugged, "I think only Ada would really know, but I think she's doing better. I wish she'd open up more, though. It'd be good for her," David nodded. "And how're you?"

He grinned, excited to share his news, "Good. I got a job. I'm working at the animal shelter."

"Really?" Mary Margaret confirmed, clearly pleased.

"Yeah, I enjoy the animals."

Mary Margaret nodded, "They don't expect much from you," David's face said that she had hit the nail on the head.

"Yeah, they don't. I, um, also am coming to an end with the divorce papers."

"Oh," Mary Margaret tried not to sound happy. It wasn't right to sound happy about divorce. But still... "How much longer do you think that'll be?"

"Probably only a week or two more. There's not really much to settle, it's just getting it all processed and official. I'll be glad when it's done."

"Me, too," Mary Margaret said without thinking, then blushed.

David laughed. "Well, you've got flyers to put up, and I've got to get to work. I'll see you later, Mary Margaret."

"Yes," the schoolteacher replied, her blush not diminished in the least, "I'll see you later."

* * *

Emma sat at the counter of Granny's, nursing a drink supplied by Ruby, as Ada shifted from table to table, chatting with people. Gold was apparently good for his word, since some of them talked not only of the fire, but of adoption laws as well.

"Ada, you're a child advocate, right- so you work with adoptions?" Mary Margaret called her over to the table where she sat with Archie and Marco.

"Yeah, I know a fair bit. That's how I was able to help Ashley," she reminded the group.

"So...Henry-" Marco trailed off, clearly not knowing where to go from there.

"Henry was born in Arizona," Ada recited carefully, "Which, if I remember the laws right, a resident of the state of Arizona can adopt a child whether married, unmarried, or divorced. Provided, of course, they pass the background checks and the home visits and are willing to wait through the whole process. It's quite lengthy and can take years for someone to be approved to adopt."

She left the table to their own conclusions.

Ada heard Mr. Clark whisper something about Henry being left home alone all the time.

She knew how Emma was going to end this whole fire thing- in fact, she was surprised to see her sister waffling over it this much, but the fear of disappointing Henry and potentially sending him spiraling back into depression was a strong one.

In the meantime, Ada had some work to do. Mr. Gold's file had turned out to be a goldmine, and Ada was thankful she'd manage to escape Gold's shop with it before the man could bargain a price out of her. Emma had turned out to be an unplanned but fortuitous distraction from that business.

* * *

David Nolan sat by the windows at Granny's, initially having come there to catch a glimpse of Mary Margaret. Sure, he had agreed not to make any romantic overtures until he'd established himself somewhat, and he more than respected that, he admired Mary Margaret for insisting on it. But that didn't mean he wanted to go weeks without catching so much as a glimpse of her. Seeing her helped reassure him that he was doing the right thing. Whenever the divorce papers stalled or got lost (which happened with an alarming frequency- he was almost beginning to get suspicious, to the point where he'd taken to delivering everything himself and watching each necessary person sign them in person) or someone looked at him, waiting for him to remember something, or physical therapy left him particularly sore, a single glance of Mary Margaret was enough to bring up reserves of strength and patience he honestly hadn't thought he'd had in him.

She was enough to make a mortal man into a Prince.

But, despite having come to Granny's for the express purpose of seeing Mary Margaret, he'd found an entirely different woman had caught his attention.

He hadn't associated much with Emma Swan. She'd rescued him, she'd counciled Mary Margaret when they'd begun having feelings for each other, but that was about it. He'd probably spoken to her sister, Ada, more.

But he couldn't help but notice how she stared into her drink, brow furrowed, mouth turned down.

This was a woman with a problem, and while David didn't necessarily remember anything he could use to help advise her, he liked to think he made a pretty good listener. Plus, he didn't want to leave her sitting there on her own with only alcohol.

He took the stool beside her with a straight-to-the-point, "Something on your mind?"

David wasn't the most tactful of men, but it had worked for him so far.

Emma looked up at him, as if startled to see him there, asking about her problems. She was probably used to Ada being the only one sitting beside her, and David remembered Mary Margaret mentioning how she thought it'd be good for Emma to open up more to others.

He found he agreed with her.

"I'm fine."

"Sure," David easily returned, pointing his gaze ahead, so as to not make Emma uncomfortable. Something told him she'd feel better about talking if she felt like she wasn't being watched. He folded his hands on the counter before him, "That's why you're over here with only a glass of liquor and thinking so hard steam was practically pouring out of your ears." He saw Emma wrinkle her nose at his turn of phrase, "I'm just saying- if you want to say something, you don't have to explain it to me, and I won't tell anyone anyways, but you look like you need to vent so," he shrugged, "I am here as a sounding board."

Emma sighed, shifting in her seat. "What if...to do the right thing you found out that someone had arranged for you to do something bad that you thought was good but then found out was bad? But you're afraid to take it back because you want to do the right thing that started the whole mess?"

"And you don't want to disappoint anyone?" David inferred as he noticed Emma's eyes looked deeper and deeper inward.

Emma's head thunked down to the counter, "God, yes. I couldn't...Henry's been so depressed since," she cut herself off quickly, "And...god, what if I screw this all up?"

David sighed as he tried to straighten out his own thoughts. This felt sort of monumental, helping Emma. It felt big. Bigger than him.

But the blonde looked totally miserable, and something about that just seemed so very  _wrong_  to David that he decided to try his best and hope he was up for the task.

And there it was. "Well, I think that Henry's a good kid, and it seems like he's got a pretty strong belief in right and wrong, what with the whole fairy-tale thing. I think, as long as you're trying to do what's  _good_ , you won't disappoint him. You just have to try your best and hope you're up for the task."

Emma seemed to be absorbing that and David determined it was probably time to leave her to her own thoughts again. Settling his hand on her shoulder, he gave it a quick squeeze before rising. He wandered over to a booth where Walter was talking about the Mayor apparently dismissing Dr. Hopper when he'd mentioned Henry being depressed at the last session. Walter apparently had been cleaning the offices and over heard the Mayor flippantly disregard the Doctor's words. David frowned and joined in the conversation.

That didn't sound right.

* * *

Ada stood in the wings as Emma paced nervously. The debate was about to start, and Ada was fairly certain she knew how this was going to go down.

"Emma?" she called out, trying to focus her sister.

"I just have to try my best and hope I'm up for the task," the blonde muttered.

Ada's eyebrows met to discuss their confusion over that statement, "Good policy," she remarked to her sister, "Not sure if the crazy muttering is helping your case, though."

"Does it count as talking to myself if you're in the room?" Emma gently teased as she straightened her shoulders, evidently having come to a decision.

"Please," Ada rolled her eyes, "Talking to me counts as talking to yourself."

Emma gave a smile as she drew back the curtains and saw Gold enter the Hall.

Well, this was going to get interesting.

_Try your best and hope you're up for the task._

Emma took a deep breath and walked to her seat.

* * *

"You guys all know I have what they call an uh- troubled past" Emma began shakily, then her voice steadied, "But, you've been able to overlook it because of the um,  _hero thing_. But here's the thing: The fire was a setup." Suddenly the audience's murmur rose, Emma spoke louder to carry over the noise. "Mr. Gold agreed to support me in this race, but I didn't know that that meant he was going to set a fire. I don't have definitive evidence but I'm sure. And the worst part of all this was- The worst part of all this  _is_  I let you all think it was real. I can't win that way. I'm sorry."

* * *

Emma found herself in an oddly similar position as she was the other day, sitting at the counter at Granny's as Ruby pours her a drink.

But this time, Ada was next to her, "Well, I can't believe it took you so long to realize you were going to confess the whole thing," the redhead commented, "I figured you'd be doing that the moment I found out about it all."

"Glad to know you have so much faith in me," Emma dryly commented as she swallowed the last of her drink.

"Another?" Ruby asked sympathetically.

"Oh, hell yes," Emma nodded, nudging the glass towards Ruby, who took it away for a refill.

The bells jingled as Henry entered the diner and Ada smiled before leaving mother and son alone, taking her coffee with her (and if she'd asked Ruby to add a little something extra to the brew, well...no one needed to know but her and the Lucas women).

"Hey, Henry," Emma turned towards the boy, who fished around in his bag before handing Emma a walkie talkie.

Emma examined it for a beat before asking, "What's this for?"

"You stood up to Mr. Gold," Henry calmly stated, seating himself beside Emma, "It's pretty amazing."

"Well, he did something illegal," Emma pointed out.

Henry gave her a little smile, "That's what heroes do. Expose stuff like that." Ruby returned with Emma's drink and a glass of milk for Henry. The boy leaned closer and whispered to Emma, "I shouldn't have given up on Operation Cobra." Emma smiled, looking down.

The bells jingled again at the entrance of Regina and Sidney.

"I thought I might find you here. With a drink. And my son," she said, her disapproving eyes sweeping the whole scene. Ada rolled her eyes before stepping forward to join the group again.

Emma smiled slightly at Sidney, ignoring the Mayor for now, "Here to card me, officer?"

"Well, not at all," Sidney smiled back, "In fact, I think I will join you." Ada thought she caught Regina giving a slight roll of her eyes at that, but couldn't be sure.

Emma was a bit confused, "Here? I don't know. I think they're setting up a back room for the victory party."

"Oh, well," the newspaper man stated calmly, "You'll have to tell me what that's like." The Emma and Henry each glanced between Regina and Sidney in confusion while Ada began to smirk, seeing where this was going.

Regina, looking like she had swallowed  _several_  lemons, took the Sheriff's badge- Graham's badge- out of her pocket.  _There's poetry for you_ , Ada couldn't help but think. "Congratulations," Regina grimaced through the words as though they tasted rotten on her tongue, and placed the badge on the counter before Emma. "Sheriff Swan."

"Wait- what?" Henry spoke for both him and Emma as Ada's smirk transformed into a full-blown grin.

She'd hoped for this.

"There was a very close vote," Regina said, as if to make it clear that Emma only  _barely_  beat her at her own game, but the woman manged to give a somewhat sincere smile as she continued, "But people really seem to like the idea of a sheriff brave enough to stand up to Mr. Gold."

"To say nothing of standing up to the Mayor as well," Ada chimed in, just to receive a glare from the Mayor in question. Mary Margaret, Archie, and others were filtering into the diner now, just in time to witness it all.

"Are you joking?" Emma asked, still trying to absorb the news.

"She isn't joking," Sidney quickly confirmed with a shake of his head.

"You didn't pick a great friend in Mr. Gold, Miss Swan," Regina lectured, "But he does make a superlative enemy" Regina gave a wide smile towards the blonde, "Enjoy that," she practically chirped before walking away.

Well, that was chilling.

* * *

Emma walked into the Sheriff's office- Graham's office- the next morning with a sigh. In her hands she carried some files, but also a few things she was going to add to the desk in order to make it more her own. Her favorite coffee mug, some chewed up pens and her keys clinking within it, a picture of Henry in a frame, ready to be placed on her new desk.

Graham's old desk.

Emma braced herself and took another step forward. This wasn't going to be easy, but Ada was on her way over after finally getting her cast removed and she had told Emma to wait for her to get there if she needed to. But Emma wanted to do this- this one thing- on her own. Ada wasn't the one who had felt...anyways, it was Emma who needed to do this. For Graham.

She placed the items on the desk, and straightened up before she came to a total halt.

Graham's jacket.

Graham's jacket hanging there.

On the same hook as always.

For a delirious moment Emma wondered if the whole thing had been a sort of dream. If Graham was going to waltz out of the back room with some new files that he'd later lose in his complete disorganization. Or maybe he'd gone to fill his own coffee mug with the crappy brew that came out of the station's machine.

But no, "The Sheriff's jacket," Gold said, startling Emma into actually physically jumping and breaking the illusion. "I thought you might want it after all."

"You do know I'm armed, right?" Emma tried to regain her composure, not willing to let Gold know how shaken she'd been.

Gold smirked and stepped into the office, "It's all part of the act, m'dear," he announced like the ringleader of a circus, putting on a show.

Emma couldn't help but wonder how accurate that comparison was.

"Political theater in an actual theater," he continued, "I knew no one was going to vote for you unless we gave you some kind of extraordinary quality. And I'm afraid saving old Regina's ass from the fire just wasn't gonna do, now. We had to give you a higher form of bravery. They had to see you defy me. And they did."

"No way," Emma breathed, unable to believe how far Gold's manipulation had gone. Granted, Ada had known what Emma would do before Emma did, but Gold? A total stranger like Gold? "There's no way you planned that," Emma tried to convince herself, crossing her arms.

The Pawnbroker gave a delighted smirk, as if he was truly amused by her shock, before his face transformed into a seriousness Emma wasn't going to admit was a bit terrifying, "Everyone's afraid of Regina. But they are more afraid of me. By standing up to me, you won them over. It was the only way."

"You knew I'd agree," Emma whispered.

"Oh, yeah," Gold confirmed. "I know how to recognize a desperate soul."

There was silence in the station for a moment as Emma absorbed this, trying not to let her eyes dart over to Graham's jacket. She didn't want Gold to know any more than he already did.

"Why did you do it?" Emma asked- one question in her mind: motivation.

Gold took a deep breath before answering, "Your sister and I made a deal sometime back, Miss Swan. We established that she owed me a favor, which, really, is the same as  _you_  owing me a favor. I know that can be a bad feeling - owing someone. Having someone you care about owe someone. Now that you're sheriff, I'm sure we'll find some way for you and your lovely sister to pay back what you owe me. As much as I enjoy my little conversations with Miss Ward, I'm not going to forget a debt." He slowly walked out of the station, his cane making a click as his shoes made thumps, and Emma wondered how he'd managed to enter so silently before. "Congratulations" he whispered as he made his exit.

Emma got the feeling there was more to that encounter then she knew.

She wasn't terribly fond of the feeling.

"Emma?" Ada's voice echoed slightly through the station, right before the redhead herself made an appearance, "Why was Mr. Gold just leaving?"

"I really don't know," Emma sighed, her eyes getting caught once more on Graham's jacket.

"Is that?" Ada whispered, her eyes following her sister's gaze.

"Yeah."

Ada stepped forward and spotted the box- the box containing all Graham's possessions, sitting at the foot of the coat rack.

"Emma," she called to her sister, "Come here."

Emma walked forward as if in a daze and the practically collapsed into a sitting position on the ground, staring up at the jacket.

Ada settled herself on the floor next to the blonde, and pulled the box towards her. She reverently went through it- pulling out an old article cut out about Graham organizing a charity event for the animal shelter (it looked disturbingly familiar to Ada, who'd investigated the newspaper office, but to Emma it was something else entirely) there were odd things here and there, and at the very bottom, Graham's boots, laces untied and lying limply. Ada thought they looked rather sad, as if they knew their owner was gone.

God, she was getting sappy, thinking about shoelaces like that.

But Emma reached in and grasped one boot, methodically taking the shoelace out. Ada said nothing, only watched. The lace now free, Emma began to wrap it around her wrist, right above her buttercup tattoo, the wrist Neal had once clasped a stolen watch onto, promising Tallahassee.

Ada understood the significance more than Emma probably did at that moment.

"Help me?" Emma requested softly, holding out her wrist, the shoelace ends pinched together between the fingertips of her free hand. Ada grabbed either end, glad she no longer had a cast to contend with on one arm, and tied them securely, tucking the loose ends under and between the coil that now partially covered Emma's tattoo.

"Not sentimental, huh?" she softly teased, and Emma gave a chocked laugh before the two of them leaned against each other, staring into the box that had contained all of Graham's worldly possessions.

They'd find homes for everything later. Little pieces of Graham scattered around.

He would've stayed, if he could.

They wouldn't let him be forgotten.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you we wouldn't be forgetting Graham so quickly. And we got the start of Emma wearing the shoelace! I couldn't not include that. I remember, when I first knew about the shoelace, I thought about how sad it was that Emma tied that on her wrist by herself because (as anyone who has tried to tie anything on their wrist by themselves knows) that was probably pretty difficult. So not only is she tying Graham's shoelace on her wrist, on the same wrist Neal put that stolen watch on (yeah, I did not make that part up- I rewatched the episodes to check), but she was probably struggling to tie it all by herself, which is even sadder.
> 
> So I had Ada there to help.
> 
> But enough sadness! Next episode is "True North" so we get Hansel and Gretel and the cannibal witch! Well, she doesn't actually show up, but she is mentioned, and since she's played by Anya from Buffy (which I only realized when rewatching the episode while writing it) I'm quite delighted by that. Plus: cannibal. Shame I don't do the flashbacks, since we get so creepy in them in that episode. I had forgotten quite a few things about "True North." We learn that Regina kidnapped the father purposefully to send the twins into the witch's house, we see her trying to keep them like little dolls (which, come on, really puts her relationship with all children into perspective) and we actually have her verbally admitting that she had sent several children to the blind witch's house, and Hansel and Gretel were the first to survive the cannibal. Unhappy that the twins don't want to play house with her, she goes back on the deal and sends them to the Infinite Forest to wander around, forever separated from the father she only released from her prison once his children were beyond his reach.
> 
> Creepy.


	20. Resetting the Board

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ada brings her findings to Emma, and they react. Meanwhile, the sisters struggle to keep another pair of siblings together against Regina's bitterness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, gang, here it comes. I am in no way ready for this.

"There's something I have to show you," Ada announced as calmly as she could. Emma looked up from her file to see the absolute seriousness on Ada's face.

Something was up.

"Okay?"

"Come with me," Ada ordered, before practically marching out of the station. Emma grabbed her jacket and followed, still not quite sure what was happening but knowing it was something  _not good_.

She had no idea how bad it was.

* * *

Emma clutched a photograph in her hand (she had spent about five minutes staring at a sweet-faced five-year-old Henry before Ada was finally able to bring her attention to the matter at hand), and her eyes jumped from that to the children currently filtering back into the school after recess.

"Ada-" she choked.

"I know."

* * *

"And I broke into the newspaper office-"

"Could you  _not_  tell me that in the  _actual_  Sheriff's office?" Emma hissed, pacing back and forth in the station while Ada sat at Emma's old Deputy desk.

"And the newspapers for the past...god, it was  _decades_ \- they were all exactly the same until we got to town! And the kids- they aren't aging, and I've been asking people if they remember things- when they met their friends, when the last Mayoral election was, who was the Mayor before Regina, stuff about their parents- and they all say the same thing!  _It's a haze_."

"I feel like we're in the Twilight Zone," Emma bent down, hands on her knees, as she tried to get her breathing under control, trying to repress the tears that were springing to her eyes. How is a person supposed to deal with something like this anyways? She'd tried pinching herself, she'd tried pinching Ada (which had gotten her a loud "ow!" and a smack on her shoulder- Emma wasn't sure why she tried that pinching her sister in the first place, but there was something to be said for shock).

"But  _Henry's_  aging," Ada whispered.

Emma's eyes jumped up to the redhead, "You're telling me, in this whole town-  _only_  Henry is aging and he's the only one  _aware_  of it?"

Ada nodded once with a jerk.

Emma collapsed into her chair, her head buried in her hands. She felt numb. Numb and out of control. Tiny.

"This is-" she stalled, unable to find the words for it.

"I'm going to keep talking to Gold," Ada decided, already planning, keeping busy to avoid looking at the situation too closely, "I'm sure he knows what's going on, and maybe I can get him to give me a few hints."

"Be careful," Emma warned, head still bowed.

Neither woman moved, both limply glued to their chairs as they tried to wrap their heads around everything.

"We have to figure out what's going on," Emma muttered, "No, we have to get Henry out of here. It's not... _safe_ , it's not healthy."

Silence fell over the station.

"We can't just grab him and run," Ada told Emma after a moment's thought. "That will only get us a kidnapping charge and Henry back here at best- at worse Henry's right about something bad happening whenever someone tries to leave."

"But a- a  _curse_?"

"Well, maybe not Fairy Tale characters but definitely something Stephen King-esque is going on here."

The Station phone began to ring and Emma stood, scrambling to pull her walls  _way up_. She'd never needed them more. "Ok, I'll deal with this and you grill Gold. Be careful," she warned as she picked up the phone, Ada nodded and left the station, leaving her sister to repress as she saw fit.

* * *

Gold had just finished setting up an antique chess board when Ada walked into the pawn shop.

"I take it you've told Miss Swan of your...investigations," he remarked as he settled himself with the black pieces before him.

Ada sat down across from him, as he obviously wanted her to, "Why am I not surprised that you're a chess player?"

"Oh, one must find something to occupy the time. After all- the  _years_  can be so monotonous."

Ada quickly made eye contact with the pawnbroker at that blatant reference to Storybrooke's...issue.

She examined the pieces before her, "I never learned chess," Ada commented dryly.

"Really?" Gold grinned, "You seem to be the type to have an aptitude for it."

"Why don't you teach me?" Ada suggested, leaning back into the chair, waiting for Gold to make his move.

The Pawnbroker picked up one piece and gave a crocodile's grin, "This is a Pawn. They are typically your first move in the game- one or two spaces forwards, only one space forward from then on. They are, predictably, the most expendable of all pieces. Only fools, however, disregard their usefulness. They're rather like foot soldiers in a war. You can accomplish much with Pawns, but only if you know what you're doing."

Ada gave a hum as she moved one of her eight Pawns forward two spaces.

"Excellent start," Gold smiled, moving a Pawn of his own.

* * *

Emma was mostly working on keeping her lunch down and stopping herself from jumping at every citizen of Storybrooke when she entered Dark Star Pharmacy.

"Henry," she couldn't tear her eyes from the boy as soon as she saw him, trying to wrap her head around everything he'd faced. He was ten years old, for Christssake, he was supposed to be worrying about how to sneak more dessert and wheedle out of homework. She fought down the instinct to grab Henry and run. "What happened?"

"Miss Swan," Regina immediately started with a sneer, placing her arm possessively around Henry, "Must I remind you that genetics mean nothing? You are not his mother and it's all taken care of." Emma felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and clenched her fists together. This woman- she ruined Henry's best chance. Emma had given up her baby for  _nothing._

But she had to keep her cool until she and Ada were ready to make their move- she had spent enough time around her sister to know the importance of playing your cards close to your chest when trying to save a kid from a bad situation. Ada had talked about more than one case where it all went wrong because the parents had figured out something was up. Emma couldn't risk messing things up for Henry.

She had to make sure this went right.

"I'm here because I'm Sheriff," she countered the Mayor, keeping her eyes fixed on the woman in an attempt to control her rage.

Regina sniffed, "Oh, that's right. Go on, do your job," she waved her hand as if Emma had needed that signal to get started. "Take care of those miscreants," she tossed over her shoulder snidely as she and Henry exited.

Emma looked at the kids in question and recognized something in them. She'd had that look in her eyes, too. "Did you call their parents?" she asked Mr. Clark.

"Uh, the number they gave me was disconnected," the pharmacist shrugged and left the the trio alone.

Emma looked at the kids before her: brother and sister, twins around Henry's age.

She sighed.

Oh, this was going to be a long day.

* * *

"The Knight," Gold held the piece in the palm of his hand. "There's only two on the board, but they are most unusual- they don't move in straight lines," Ada examined the little carved horse's head, "They move in an "L" shape, and can jump over the other pieces. Rather useful, as long as you keep them with plenty of potential movements."

"A Knight, huh?"

"You only get two, Miss Ward- use them wisely," Gold warned her.

* * *

Emma watched as Ava and Nicholas hungrily gulped down the food Mary Margaret provided. She had called Ada to come as reinforcements. Emma just wasn't going to be able to deal with everything on her plate without Ada there. Not today, not after the shock to her system.

Kids- orphaned, starving, stealing to get by, terrified to go into the system.

Yeah, Emma was familiar with that.

"Do you know them?" Emma asked the schoolteacher, pulling her to the side to have a hushed conversation, "Do they go to your school?"

"I've seen them," Mary Margaret shook her head, "But I had no idea- none of us did."

 _No one ever does_ , Emma picked up a file, reading it out, "Ava and Nicholas Zimmer. So, their mother was someone named Dory Zimmer. She died a few years ago," she watched Mary Margaret shake her head, not recognizing the name, " _No one_  seems to know her or remember her," Emma remarked, suspecting this is yet another symptom of the...whatever was going on in Storybrooke, but rather hoping Mary Margaret would have proved it all to be some sort of hallucination. If only  _someone_  had remembered this dead woman, Emma could have fooled herself into thinking maybe everything wasn't falling apart around her.

Fortunately, Ada arrived before Emma started to have a mental breakdown.

"I'm here, and so, I see are my clients," she gave the kids a cheerful smile as she took off her coat and hung it on one of Mary Margaret's hooks. Emma could see the cracks behind the smile, the stress, the slight wildness in Ada's eyes, but she doubted anyone else could. Just like no one seemed to notice her own symptoms of shock but the redhead. "Hello, I'm Ada. I'm a child advocate, so I'm basically here to work for you. I make sure that you get the best situation possible." She sat on the counter by the siblings and looked them in the eyes, "Why don't you tell me what's been going on?"

As Ada talked with the kids, Emma continued her conversation with Mary Margaret. "There isn't a father listed here, but I want to check the birth certificates."

"What does- uh- what does social services say?" the teacher asked.

Emma was silent.

"You didn't report them," Mary Margaret stated, rather than asked.

Emma dropped her voice even lower, not wanting to risk the kids overhearing- Ada was occupying them for now, but Emma remembered making sure she kept one ear on all the conversations around her as a kid. It was sometimes the only warning you'd have. "I report them, I can't help them. They go into the system." Not to mention, Emma wasn't sure what CPS could actually do in a cursed town.

Oh, dear god. She had actually thought of the town as "cursed." And not in an ironic way.

She needed booze. And her bed.

"The system that's supposed to help," Mary Margaret pointed out as if it was obvious.

Mary Margaret's voice pulled her back to the here and now, and at the mention of the system, Emma couldn't help the scorn in her voice, "Yeah, says someone who wasn't  _in it_  for sixteen years. Do you know what happens? They get thrown into homes where they are a meal ticket, nothing more. These families get paid for these kids and as soon as they're too much work, they get tossed out and it all starts over again."

"But," Mary Margaret shook her head, unwilling to believe it, "But they're not all like that."

"All the ones I was in. Ada, too."

Mary Margaret looked over at the kids, who were beginning to give Ada some small smiles, "What, we're just going to adopt them?"

"I wanna look for their father. They don't know him.  _He_  may not know they exist," Emma shrugged.

"And you think if he knows, he'll want them."

"I don't know," Emma shrugged helplessly, "But what I do know, is that it's hard enough finding foster families to take  _one_  kid that isn't theirs, let alone  _two_. It's their best best shot, or-"

Ava's voice suddenly cut through the apartment, "We're going to be separated?"

Both kids were wide-eyed with fear and Ada shot Emma a look before turning to them both.

"Hey, remember what my job is? I won't let you be separated, I  _swear_."

The twins grasped hands and looked at Ada, as if afraid to trust her, but gave small nods.

The three adults looked at each other desperately.

There was no way of knowing if Ada had just lied.

* * *

"You go to the hall of records," Ada told Emma, starting her plan. Hopefully that interrupted chess lesson with Gold would pay off somehow, "Look up their birth certificate. I'm going to make a few calls."

"You're going to talk with Gold again?" Emma asked, her gaze knowing as she locked eyes with her sister.

Ada shrugged, "I'm not afraid of owing him another favor if that's what it takes to keep these kids together," she swallowed heavily before continuing, "Another thing we may want to consider is asking Henry."

Emma's voice was short and sharp when she replied, "What?"

"Listen, I don't know how much of this curse stuff is real or not. Frankly, I think I'm kind of in a daze about it and just going along with things for now. I have no doubt at some point I'll have a severe mental breakdown from it all but for now- rolling with the punches. Henry's been right about  _everything_  so far. He said the clock would start to move when you arrived, and it did as soon as you agreed to stay. He said you'd bring back the happy endings, and so far you've helped a lot of people with that- Ashley comes to mind."

"But I didn't give Graham his happy ending," Emma quickly cut in, her eyes darting away at the mention of the Sheriff's name. Emma still found herself sitting in her old desk more often than not. It just seemed...wrong- to have anyone else, even her, sitting in Graham's spot.

Ada was quiet for a long moment before reaching forward to grab Emma's hand. They weren't normally very touchy-feely people, and they both understood that about each other so it worked. In many ways, the few times they did hug or touch were made all the more meaningful because of the rarity of them. Ada had probably held Emma more often since Graham died than she had in all their years together. "I think, in some ways, you did."

Emma looked up at the redhead, her eyes faintly glassy.

Ada pushed on, "He said he couldn't feel anything? Well, Emma, you not only got him to feel, but you made him feel something  _wonderful_. I don't know...if Graham really died of a heart attack or-" they both looked away, tension taking up residence in the space around them as they both remembered Henry's theory on Graham's death. "But, either way, I know his last moments- those moments with you, Emma. He treasured them. You made him happy. He got a happy ending, it just wasn't...happily ever after."

Both women were silent for a long moment after that, Ada still clutching tightly to Emma's hand, the blonde's eyes focused on something only she could see.

"We should probably have a talk with Henry anyways now that we've seen-," Emma cut herself off and then sighed. "Okay, I'm on my way to the Hall of Records."

Ada nodded and let go of her sister's hand. "And I'll do what I do best- pester." Ada was rewarded with a small smile from Emma.

* * *

"Come for another lesson already, dearie?" Gold asked as Ada entered his shop. The chessboard was where they had left it, the pieces already set in their starting positions.

"Sorry I had to cut our first lesson short," Ada cautiously said, sitting herself down, but keeping her eyes trained on Gold's face. She didn't want to miss a thing, "But I was called in to help with some kids. Twins, orphaned. Emma's looking for their father in hopes that he'll want to take them in rather than let them be separated by the system."

"A noble pursuit, no doubt," he answered evenly, picking up another chess piece. "A Bishop. Despite the religious name, a very dangerous piece. Or maybe  _because_  of their religious name," he grinned, "Nothing's more dangerous than someone who sincerely believes they're right," he let that hang in the air for a heartbeat before continuing, "They move on the diagonal across the board, and the two together cover both the light and dark squares- very powerful. They're a long-distance threat, dearie. But, like all the pieces, they are only as good as the person wielding them."

Ada picked up one of her Bishops, turning it over in her hand, "A long-distance threat, you say?"

Gold hummed. "No matter how far away places seem, we're still all part of the same board. It's unwise to only focus on a few squares instead of the whole picture."

Ada moved a Pawn in her first turn of the game, "I can see why you like chess so much, Mr. Gold."

The man gave a grin, moving a Pawn of his own. "I can see you'll be an apt student, Miss Ward."

* * *

Emma, had she been calmer, might've been worried about causing actual damage to her phone the way she so violently dialed Ada.

Of course, had she been calmer, she wouldn't have been dialing so very violently in the first place.

"I may be brain dead after two chess lessons with Gold, but let's try this anyways," Ada answered the phone instead of a greeting.

Emma growled, "She's splitting them up. Somehow, she got the birth certificate before me-  _how_ , I don't know because I don't think she even knew the kids'  _names_ \- and she said there was no father listed and she's shipping them off to Boston and they'll be separated."

Ada said nothing, merely took several breathes through her nose before she began, "A long-distance threat," Ada muttered before she spoke louder, "No, they won't," her voice was almost entirely without inflection, and, had it been a tangible thing, Emma was sure each word would've been frozen solid. The kind of ice that burned the second you touched it. "Emma, I'll talk to you later. I need to make a phone call."

Emma listened to the dial tone for a long time before she hung up herself.

She was grinning.

* * *

Ada carefully examined the board set up before her. She'd managed to buy some time for her and Emma buy calling in her own contacts- telling them that there were potential leads for the children's father, and all evidence pointed towards him being unaware of them and their mother's death. She'd also mentioned that the kids were being used as pawns in some small-town political games and she knew that that in particular had motivated her contacts into giving her more time. No one liked it when kids were used as toys, and those who were in Ada's line of business had a particular dislike towards that sort of thing. Many of them had backgrounds similar to Ada that had spurred them on to their chosen career path. Ada was also well-known and well-liked by her coworkers, and she was known for doing her job well.

That counted for a lot.

A long-distance threat indeed. Eyes were turning towards Storybrooke now that Ada had whispered into a few ears

Witnesses outside the Mayor's control were very useful.

"A Rook, sometimes called a Castle by those less well-informed," Gold twisted the piece between two fingers, holding it up to the light. "They move along the straights, unlike the Bishops, and together two of them together can be more powerful than the Queen herself," Gold cast a knowing glance at Ada, "Their weakness is that they can't move...crooked, let's say- so they're at risk from the Queen. Interesting thing, the term "Rook" comes from the Sanskrit word for " _Chariot_." The more you know," Gold trailed off with a grin.

* * *

"Chariot," Ada murmured to herself, paging through the Storybrooke phone book. "Chariot..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So- what did you guys think? Emma and Ada know that the town's not aging! Or wasn't, before they showed up. They're still not entirely sure if they buy the whole "curse" thing, but they know something is horribly wrong. Of course, they are also repressing heavily now that they do. Emma's known to throw herself into things when she'd rather not think about something, and Ada's doing the same thing.
> 
> But it's all going to come to a breaking point pretty soon, and then Emma won't know what to do.
> 
> Drop a review for me?


	21. Reunion and Heartbreak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sisters talk with Henry about the repercussions of the curse. Then, Emma is on her own to answer a question from Henry she hadn't prepared for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the big news, folks: I took down the polls last week and, after some deliberation in which I took into account voting numbers, messages I received, scenes I had tried to write out, and what I thought fit best with what I had already planned for this story, I have come to a decision.
> 
> If you want to know what it is (verses me not telling you and having it be a semi-surprise), just go to my Tumblr (just search for Cuppatea13 on Tumblr and I'll pop right up), and click the "I Get Meta Sometimes" link at the top there, and it'll be the first thing that pops up. You'll see the whole thing written out. If you're really interested, you can click the "read more" link there and see some of what I've got planned, or you can just take in who was picked and move on relatively spoiler-free. Up to you.
> 
> Now, onto the chapter!

Mary Margaret gave a sigh as she watched Emma bundle the twins out of the door- she was taking them to Marco, who Ada had called and asked for a favor. The old Italian man was apparently delighted to help however he could and was more than happy to watch after the two kids while Emma and Ada searched for their father. When Mary Margaret asked Ada why she had called Marco out of everyone the redhead looked at her and asked who else would she have called.

Mary Margaret wasn't sure how to respond to that one.

Something had seemed off with the sisters that day. Mary Margaret wasn't quite able to put her finger on it, but they both seemed...jumpy.

Emma opened the door to the loft only to flinch slightly and come up short, proving Mary Margaret's previous thought. Mary Margaret peaked outwards and there, standing in the hallway, fist raised as if about to knock, was David.

Mary Margaret tried very hard to keep herself from blushing as her heart skipped several beats before starting again at twice its usual pace.

"David," Emma said before turning to look at Mary Margaret where she stood by her counter. The teacher knew she was trembling somewhat- the atmosphere suddenly felt momentous, suddenly huge, and she was sure she'd either sink under it or rise up into the stars, but the anticipation of it all had her stunned. Emma said nothing more, but ushered the Zimmer twins out the door and subtly pushed David in (or, rather, tried to subtly push David in- it wasn't so subtle when all was said and done). She gave one last warning look to Mary Margaret (what, exactly, she was being warned of, Mary Margaret couldn't have told you, but she straightened her spine a bit at the look from Emma and shored her courage up- she would not back down and she would not settle for something less than what she had asked of David).

"I divorced Kathryn. I found a place to live and a job I like. And I like hamburgers better than hot dogs, hot chocolate with cinnamon in it but mostly with whipped cream, and I'd  _really_  appreciate it if you'd consider helping me find out which is my favorite restaurant in Storybrooke," Mary Margaret, when he first started, had thought he'd say all this in a rush, but instead, David had declared each item slowly, drawing it out so she had time to process and hear each and every word. He stood there now, a few precious feet from her, hands shoved deep in his pockets, shoulders hunched slightly forward, but his head held high as his eyes absorbed her reaction for each minute detail.

"You divorced Kathryn?"

"Yes. All the papers are filled out and filed, totally finalized."

"You found a place to live?"

"It's this little apartment on Birch Street."

"And you like your job?"

"Working at the shelter is  _great_."

She took a deep breath. "So- hamburgers?"

He grinned at her, unable to help himself as he watched her stuttering slightly and trying to absorb all the information he'd just told her.

"Yeah- definitely better than hot dogs. Did you ever read the ingredients in those things?"

"I meant," she shook her head, "Would you like to go get some? Granny's for lunch?"

His grin widened and he nodded, "I would love to."

Mary Margaret grabbed her coat and led the way, keeping her eyes forward even as David slipped a hand into her's.

* * *

Having previously decided that Ada's room at Granny's was their best bet for privacy, Ada and Emma and smuggled Henry into the room and now sat, once again, on either side of him on Ada's bed.

In the way that your mind often wonders to absurd trivialities during moments of stress, Ada had time to think that maybe she should look for a place to stay. It was getting expensive to live in a B&B and, with Emma putting down roots, Ada felt it was time for some of her own.

Plus she was going to need more closet space.

"Have you had any luck?" Henry asked Emma, talking about the Zimmer twins, his mind focused on solving the puzzle.

"Actually, kid, before we talk about that- I wanted to ask you some stuff."

"If it's about who they are- I know," the boy's eyes gleamed as he pulled his storybook out of his backpack.

"Henry," Ada interrupted, gently removing the book from Henry's hands and placing it on the nightstand beside her. "This is important, and it's not really about Ava and Nicholas. It's about you."

"You know I didn't steal that stuff, right?" Henry queried, his eyes darting between the two women, "Cuz I really didn't and I thought-"

"Henry," Emma cut him off now, "I know you didn't steal anything. You're a good kid- how about you let me talk before you jump to any conclusions?"

Henry nodded and settled himself onto the bed, his eyes stuck to Emma. The blonde took a deep breath before she pulled out some pictures from her jacket pocket. Henry recognized them and looked confused.

"Kid, I know that you've been telling me for ages now about how time was frozen before, and how everyone here doesn't remember who they are and all that, but I guess- I didn't realize what that meant," Emma looked down at one photograph, a picture of Henry with a dozen other chubby-faced Kindergartners, grinning widely at the camera. Emma personally thought that Henry's eyes had more spark, more intelligence, more  _something_  than the other kids, and had previously put it down to maternal bias (not that she'd admit it) but she wasn't so sure now.

"These same kids are still in the same Kindergarten class as they were five years ago," Emma whispered, her eyes darting up to Henry, who was focused on the old photograph now. "They probably don't remember going to school with you, do they?"

"No," Henry shook his head, frowning.

Emma sucked in a deep breath and looked at Ada for guidance, but her sister was focused entirely on Henry, her heartbreak clear in her eyes.

"Henry," Emma whispered, unable to get her voice any louder with the knot in her throat, "You've been the only one aging and the only one remembering it all for all this time?"

Henry shifted slightly in his seat, but nodded.

"Oh, kid," Emma felt like her lungs were collapsing and her heart was breaking and she could feel the build-up of tears behind her eyes.

This was not Henry's best chance  _at all_.

She should've kept him. If she'd kept him she would've gotten him once she was out of jail, she'd have struggled to make ends meet, and she probably would've had to go a few nights without eating herself, but he wouldn't have had to deal with all this. He would've grown up with friends who remembered going to class with him, he would've aged with everyone else and  _no one_  would've  _ever_  told him he was crazy for telling the truth.

Emma dropped the photos, and they scattered on the floor between her and Henry's feet, and she wrapped Henry up in a hug.

"I am  _so_   _sorry_ , kid," she choked out as she felt Ada place a hand on Henry as well, not intruding, but letting the two know she was there. Emma opened her eyes to look at her sister. Ada looked about as gutted as Emma felt. Anger, no doubt, would come later; right now, all that was in the room was sadness and a bitter sort of defeat.

"It's not your fault," Henry told her, his hands coming up to hug her back, patting her slightly as if in comfort. In some ways, it only made Emma feel worse. It was not Henry's job to comfort her.

"Listen, Henry," Ada said, leaning forward to catch the boy's eyes, "I  _promise_  you- Emma and I will fix this. Whatever it takes."

Emma nodded, "This wasn't ever what I wanted for you Henry, and I will do anything so- I'll make sure it's how things are supposed to be for you."

Henry grinned, springing back quickly. Emma wondered if he had been forced to learn that after ten years of living the way he had. "You can start with Ava and Nicholas," he told them reaching past Ada to grab the storybook as Emma's arms loosened from their tight grip around him, though she couldn't entirely bring herself to let him go. "I know who they are," he flipped the book open, showing a picture that did look eerily like the twins. "Brother and sister, lost, no parents. Hansel and Gretel," he grinned up at the women, proud of his detective work.

Ada blew out a breath, "The curse is real," she muttered, trying to absorb it. Emma didn't seem to be coping much better.

"I told you so," Henry gave a cheeky grin.

Ada managed to let out a nervous laugh and looked up at Emma, who seemed to lock down all the emotion behind one of her walls, bringing her focus to Henry and his book.

"So, this book of yours say anything about their dad?"

"Just that he abandoned them," Henry shrugged.

Ada leaned forward and turned the page to another picture: one of the blind witch, a pile of bones behind her, "This is the one where the Evil Queen sent Hansel and Gretel to the cannibal witch?" she asked Henry, who nodded, "What were they supposed to get?"

"An apple, but when the Queen tried to make them stay with her, she sent them to the Infinite Forest, so they'd be lost forever," Henry turned the page to show the two wandering in the woods.

"Well," Ada sighed but then gave a grin, "The book may not say where the Woodcutter is, but I think I have a lead."

"You do?" Emma asked.

Ada nodded, "Something Gold said- I think we should ask a few questions to Michael Tillman. Owner of Michael's Automobile Repair Shop."

"How'd you figure that out?" Emma asked, standing.

"The word "Rook" comes from the Sanskrit for "Chariot.""

"Huh?" Henry looked at her.

Ada shook her head, "You don't wanna know."

* * *

Emma wanted to look up a few things on Michael Tillman at the station so she and Henry began walking in that direction, but Ada was distracted by seeing Mary Margaret and David eating burgers in Granny's, and she had decided to check in with the couple. Anything to distract from the  _herd_  of elephants in the town.

Emma really wished that Ada had come along as soon as she settled at her old desk.

Henry had pushed himself up and now sat on the desk, looking carefully at her face. He was hesitant before he asked, "Do you know anything about him?"

"Well," Emma said, grimacing, "This computer equipment is from the Dark Ages so it's taking a little time, but I will soon."

"Not their father, mine."

Emma sucked in a breath. Oh, this was not going to be an easy day. She hadn't even had time to deal with the whole the-curse-is-real thing yet, and now Henry was evidently pulling no punches. She hadn't had time to prepare for this question. She honestly hadn't even had time to absorb the fact that this question was bound to come along someday. She had never had to think about how'd she'd explain that mess to Henry. And, of course, it was on today of all days that the kid decided to ask.

"I told you about your parents," he insisted, and Emma did  _not_  want to open that can of worms just yet, "Now you're even living with your mom."

Yup, keeping that can tightly sealed.

"Mary Margaret-," Emma began to deny, before shutting everything down tight. No time to deal with the curse thing- that would have to wait till tonight. With Ada. And a lot of alcohol.

"Please," Henry gave her some seriously earnest puppy dog eyes and Emma began to cave. She had to tell the kid  _something_. But, god, she could not tell Henry the  _truth_  here. How was she supposed to tell this wonderful boy, this  _amazing_  kid, that his dad not only left her after promising that they would make a home together, but he sent her to jail for his crime? That the first person Emma had let past her walls had betrayed her so much? That even after that betrayal, Emma had somehow convinced herself if she could just  _find_  Neal there would be a reasonable explanation for it all, that they would find each other and everything would be all right and he'd help her deal with the fact that she had to give up this  _perfect_  little human being without even a glance because-. How could she tell Henry she wasted two years of her life looking and waiting for a man who so obviously did not want to be found or find her? That his father was the only person aside from her own parents Emma had failed to find? How could she even  _begin_  to explain?

She knew if she told Henry the most innocent aspects of her and Neal's relationship (not many parts were innocent, when all was said and done- they were thieves on the run, she was a kid pretending to be an adult, pretending that all the shit in her past had made her older and wiser, when all it had done was made her damaged) Henry, getting these tiny details, would, of course, ask how come it all ended. He would ask where his father was now, why he wasn't with Emma. Henry believed in true love. He didn't realize how often relationships failed.

He would never imagine one could fail like that one had.

Not to mention Henry was  _ten_. He was  _ten years old_  living in this cursed town where he was the only one aging and aware of it, he was living under Regina's thumb, he was  _ten years old_  and dealing with more than any ten year old should have to. He was  _ten_.

This was not an appropriate story for a ten year old.

But what to say? The full truth couldn't be told, not till Henry was at least fifty. Neal was never coming back either way, but Henry was still dealing with Graham's death (and, honestly, so was Emma) and he was still occasionally struggling to hold onto that hope that things would work out.

She had to make sure Henry had hope, but understood there was no way to contact his biological father. Emma would have to lie- she hadn't had time to come up with another solution, and this is what she was going to go with. She'd fashion Henry a hero- someone he could admire, someone honest and brave and all the things Henry liked about those heroes in his stories- a firefighter.

Now Emma just had to incorporate the parts of her past Henry did know- that jail sentence and the foster system- and make it work.

But Emma had grown up around liars, and she knew how to make a lie sound true.

"I was pretty young," she began- keep a kernel of truth, it was a basic of creating a believable lie, after all, "I just got out of the foster system and the only job I could get was at this 24-hour diner, just off the interstate," Emma  _had_  worked at that diner- it was just after she had gotten out of jail instead of before, "And, um, your dad was training to be a fireman," A fireman- similar to a Sheriff, giving this imaginary man all the qualities Henry had admired and loved in Graham, "He always got the worst shifts. So he'd come in and order coffee and pie, and sit at the counter and always complain that we didn't sell pumpkin pie." Add details- details always made a lie more believable, but not too many or it would oversell, "But he always come back the next day anyway," She added just a touch of something sweetly, innocently romantic. Henry loved the story of Snow White and Prince Charming, after all.

"Did you get married?" Henry asked.

Emma couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her, as if she and Neal would've ever managed to get their act together for something like that- as if Neal would've ever made that sort of promise and kept it, "No, nothing like that," she couldn't make the connection too too serious- Emma didn't want Henry to think she was mourning the loss of her one true love, but she wanted to make it sincere, "We just- we hung out a few times outside of work,"  _Remember_ , she told herself,  _ten years old_ , "And life happened. His got better and mine...got worse. I got into some trouble."

Henry nodded, "And went to jail."

 _Thank god he didn't ask for details there_ , "Yeah," Emma braced herself to really sell this performance, with a little change in the timeline... "And before I went, I found out I was pregnant with you," Henry gave a smile and Emma couldn't help but echo it- he really was the best kid, and if this lie was what was best for him, Emma would play it to the hilt, "And, I tried to contact him," she leaned forward, about to explain why they wouldn't be able to contact this man, this myth, "And I found out, that he died saving a family from a burning apartment building. So, you think I am the savior, Henry? He was. Your father was a real hero."

Emma watched Henry absorb the story she'd fed him. He gave her a small smile. It wasn't the truth, but it was what Henry needed and what Henry deserved. Emma couldn't tell him the truth.

It would break his heart.

* * *

Ada sat with Marco as he watched Nicholas carefully sanding a birdhouse for him.

"They've been very good," he told Ada with a grin. The man clearly thrived around children- she'd watched him interact with the twins and it was practically magical how fast he'd been able to pull smiles from them. He'd even made Nicholas laugh a little earlier. "Nicholas- he, ah- he has some good skill. Hard to believe no one had already, eh, taught him."

Ada gave Marco a grin. "Thanks again for looking after them," she said, already expecting the Italian man's reply.

"Pish," he waved his hand at her, "I enjoy helping them. Children are, ah, precious. And you," he tacked on, waving an old rag at her as he began to go back to his own work, "I am always happy to help."

Ava came and sat beside Ada on an old work bench as the boys continued with their artistry. Ada turned to give the girl a reassuring grin when she saw something clutched between the blonde's dirty hands. Ada felt her prickings raise the hairs on the back of her neck at the sight of it.

"What's that?" she asked before she could stop herself. She suddenly remembered a picture of twins, a paragraph to the side talking about a compass pointing towards home.

Ava looked up, "My mom gave it to us. It's a compass. But it's broken," Ava sighed, her shoulders slumping with dejection, "She said it was our dad's."

Ada held out a hand, "Can I see that, please?" Ava looked at her critically, measuring up her worthiness for the privilege of holding such a treasured object. Ada knew what was going on in Ava's head. After all, she barely shared with anyone the old bracelet that her father had given her own mother before they died. Emma had seen it, just like Ada had seen Emma's baby blanket, but neither had ever actually discussed these relics of their pasts.

After all, every kid they knew had always held onto something.

Ava delicately placed the compass into Ada's cupped hands, and the redhead gave a solemn smile at the honor before examining it herself.

"I think," she whispered to the girl, "We've found your dad, but I'm not sure how to prove it- could I take this with me? Like a test- to make sure he's the real deal?" If the curse was keeping everyone apart- maybe they could use it to their advantage; use the compass to break through to the twin's father.

Ava examined her once more, eyes sharp and largely distrustful. But there was a gleam behind all that that told Ada to be patient, the girl would put faith in her given some time. And indeed, Ava gave her a serious nod.

"You're going to keep us together, right?" she confirmed as Ada delicately tucked the compass away in one of her pockets.

Ada looked her fellow orphan straight in the eye, "I will do everything it takes to keep you with your brother. I wouldn't want anyone to take my sister away, after all."

* * *

Emma was  _the_  queen at pushing through. The Swans told her she wasn't their real kid and sent her off to a foster home so they could have their own baby? She pushed through. A foster father would have rather smacked a kid around than take one to a carnival? She could push through. The foster family she was sent to were looking more for a meal ticket and an extra worker around the house rather than a kid? She could push through. The one person she thought she could trust abandons her and sends her to jail for his crime? She could push through. She finds out she was pregnant by the man who betrayed her more than anyone else ever had? Even then, she pushed through.

Finding out the town her precious kid was sent to was cursed and he was trapped under the thumb of an Evil Queen? Realizing her long-lost parents are apparently residents and she's been living with her mother (who doesn't remember she's her mother) for the past few months? Henry asking questions about his biological father?

It was probably the hardest one of all, but Emma was pushing through.

One crisis at a time. First: the Zimmer twins. Second: alcohol.

She watched as Michael Tillman looked through the papers she had just handed him, detailing Ava and Nicholas's lives in dispassionate, factual black and white words. Forms filled out and filed, names written down, facts, cold and hard, with two small photos of children unhappily looking out at a man who never had a chance to know them. Until now.

The man handed it back to her, "Not possible," he declared.

"Actually," Emma argued, "It is."

Mr. Tillman shook his head, taking a step back, "Sorry. But Dory, she wasn't my, my," he gave up trying to find a suitable word and held up a single finger before turning back to a car held up for repairs, "It was just once."

"Sometimes that's all it takes," Emma pointed out. Wondering if it was possible Storybrooke's Sex Ed program was even worse than the one she went through.

"I met her when I was camping. And," he fiddled with some tools, clearly nervous, "We um…," he stopped himself there, "No, it's not possible. I don't have twins," Tillman insisted.

Emma was now done with the soft touch. She wasn't even sure why she had started off that way- tact really wasn't her specialty. "Yes," she told him, her words firm, "You do. You have  _twins_  that have been homeless ever since their mother passed away. Your twins have been living in an abandoned house," she felt herself getting more and more emotional as he continued to work on the car, outwardly ignoring her, "Because they don't want to be separated from each other. Your twins are about to be shipped off to Boston, unless you step up and take responsibility for them."

Michael gave a grunt has he cut his hand on the vehicle, turning to Emma and confessing to her lowly, "Look, I can barely manage this garage. I can't manage two kids," he backed away, turning back to his tools.

And then, like an angel of mercy, Ada descended. "It's not about  _managing_ ," she inserted as her heels clicked with each step she took into the garage.

"I'm sorry- who are you?" Mr. Tillman turned to see a redhead in tall heels, a vibrant green dress, and a brilliantly white jacket saunter into his garage.

"Ada Ward," she introduced, holding out her hand to shake, uncaring of the grease and oil on the man's hand as she grasped firmly. "I'm a child advocate. I speak for the kids. And as I was saying: it's not about managing. It's about caring. Do you feel anything for them at all? They're twins, they've always had each other for their whole lives- even when their mother passed, they still had each other. Ava is the leader, she makes sure everything gets done. She plans and she takes care of her brother. Nicholas is quiet, he's barely said five words together since we found them, but he's creative. He's been helping Marco out for the afternoon and seems to have some talent. And he clearly adores his sister. They're everything to each other, all they're really able to count on."

Michael sighed, rubbing his hands on his face, smearing grease, "Are you so sure they are mine?"

"Aside from the timing?" Emma asked, not sure how to explain that according to a fairy-tale book and her son that they really are family and are under a curse, and that a hint from a skeezy Pawnbroker translated by the redhead rocking back and forth on her heels to Emma's left led them to an auto repair shop and him.

"Have you ever seen this?" Ada asked, holding out her hand. Emma looked over and saw, resting in her sister's palm, a compass, glass cracked, broken, worn and old, with its chain dangling in the air. The man moved towards it slowly, as if drawn by a force he didn't quite understand, and Emma felt a small chill go up her spine as the man reached out and took the compass into his own hands.

"I lost this," he whispered, holding the compass as if it was something  _more,_ almost like it was telling him something.

"Let me guess," Emma couldn't help but sarcastically ask, "Twelve years and nine months ago?"

Ada rolled her eyes and not-so-subtly stepped on Emma's foot. "You interrupted the moment," she hissed at her sister.

Emma winced and glared at Ada- those heels  _hurt_.

At Ada's glare to  _fix it_ , Emma sighed and turned back to the repairman, "I know it's a lot, believe me, I  _know_. A month ago, a kid showed up on my doorstep, I gave up for adoption, asking for help with… something. I ended up moving here for him."

Tillman nodded, "I heard about that. It's the mayor's son. But staying in town is a lot different from taking him in," he corrected.

"I don't have my kid, because I don't have a choice," Emma told him, thinking of the custody battle that was on the horizon, the driving  _need_ to get Henry away from anything that caused him pain, "And I'm trying to change that. You have a choice  _right now_. Those kids did not ask to be brought to this world.  _You_  brought them into this world, you and their mother. And they  _need_  you. If you choose not to take them, you are going to have to answer for that  _every_  day of your life," Emma swallowed, thinking of her own newly discovered parents. They hadn't wanted to give her up at all, but she still had questions. She still  _felt_  like she had been rejected. "And sooner or later when they find you, because believe me they  _will_  find you," Emma paused, taking a breath, remembering Henry on her doorstep, remember entering the loft with Mary Margaret, finding David by the bridge, "You are going to have to answer to them."

"I'm really sorry, I don't," he shook his head, placing the compass back in Ada's hands, "I don't know anything about being a dad," he turned and walked away, heading for a back office, "If it's a good home you're looking for, it's not with me."

Emma stood there, feeling defeated, and Ada's eyes sharpened, staring at that back door.

"Don't worry," she told Emma, "I'm not done talking with him yet."

"Talking to him isn't going to change anything," Emma shook her head. "He won't listen to us- he doesn't...he doesn't know how it feels."

"We just need to get through to him," Ada insisted.

Emma sighed and looked back down at the papers in her hand, "Hard to believe, isn't it?" she asked Ada, "We had papers like these too. A kid is really just a bunch of forms filled out and one crappy picture."

Ada turned to look at her sister, her eyes wide, "Emma," she breathed, grabbing the blonde's arm in a tight grip.

Emma's own eyes widened as well, "Oh," she said, turning to look at her sister. "Ow," she said after a moment, "God, you have got one hell of a grip for a tiny person."

"Not sorry," Ada said in a rush, already walking, heels clacking with each step, her head planning, "Moment of realization- we need to plan. Let's go to the loft."

Emma stared after the redhead for a moment before jogging to catch up to her, "Just to be clear- we're both thinking if he sees them-?"

"He'll never give them up. The compass wasn't enough. We need a  _connection_." Ada knew it was the curse keeping this family apart- the trick was breaking through it.

"I really hope this works," Emma sighed.

Ada grit her teeth, "You and me both."

* * *

Mary Margaret and David were both in the loft when Ada and Emma stormed in. The redhead briefly thought it was a good thing the two were in the early days of their romance, or she shuddered to think what she might've walked in on.

She once walked in on Emma with a guy- not something she  _ever_  wants to repeat.

"Is everything okay?" Mary Margaret immediately asked, straightening up from where she had been leaning in towards David. Emma tried very hard not to roll her eyes as she noticed the teacher subconsciously pulling on her outfit as if trying to hide wrinkles that would've told what exactly she had David had been up to.

Emma was pretty sure it had all be very tame- which only made it harder not to roll her eyes.

And then she remembered that these were supposedly her  _parents_.

"No, it's not," Emma said, heading straight for the stove to make some hot chocolate. Mary Margaret couldn't control her wince at Emma entering the kitchen, and quickly began the process for hot chocolate herself, not willing to risk Emma destroying more of her appliances.

Emma paced.

Ada sat down with a huff, "But we have a plan."

"A risky plan," Emma corrected.

"Let's keep positive here," Ada argued.

"A- it's chancey at best!"

"May I just remind you-"

"Girls!" Mary Margaret cut in, clapping her hands together. Ada and Emma suddenly had a flash to what it must be like to be one of Miss Blanchard's students. "Going to need a little background here."

"He doesn't want the kids," Emma sighed, sounding defeated.

"Yet," Ada jumped in quickly.

"What's happening?" David asked, still lost.

Ada rolled her eyes and sat up straight, "Well, there's these twins- Ava and Nicholas Zimmer. Their mother passed away a couple of years ago, and they've been living rough and on their own since then. Their father is Michael Tillman, who had no idea they existed until this afternoon. Regina, Queen Bitch that she is, called CPS and is insisting the twins get carted off to Boston orphanages where they'll be separated."

"Ada bought us some more time on that," Emma added in for good measure.

"So we need to convince Mr. Tillman that not only would he be these twins' best chance, but that he actually wants them," Ada summed up.

"He didn't want the kids when you told him?" Mary Margaret cut in, frowning at that.

"And you haven't told the twins, I'm guessing?" David concluded.

"They're staying with Marco for now," Ada said, "And he told me they can continue to stay there for however long we can get or until their father comes for them. We're hoping it's going to be the latter option, not the former."

"We can't tell them," Emma winced, "Because all we'll be telling them is that the false hope we gave them is exactly that."

"It's not just about that," Ada insisted, "They want to know who he is, whether or not he's going to step up. They deserve an answer, just like us. If we can't convince him, I'll figure something else out. But this is the best option if we can get it."

"The truth can be painful," Mary Margaret cut in, trying to break up the sister's squabbling, "But it can also be cathartic."

Ada snorted as Emma muttered, "I agree on the painful part."

"Hey, look, you told Henry the truth that his father is dead and he's handling it great," Mary Margaret tried to council, having talked with Henry while Emma had gone to see Mr. Tillman, and all Henry had wanted to tell her was what he had learned about his father.

"Wait- what?" Ada cut in, not having known Henry had asked about his biological dad.

"I didn't tell him the truth," Emma admitted.

"What?" Mary Margaret's voice was largely drowned out by Ada's, but it was still heard.

"Okay- I think we're all missing something now," David cut in, trying to prevent everyone from talking over each other.

Emma sighed, already feeling exhausted and sat at Mary Margaret's table across from Ada. The schoolteacher came over with three mugs of hot chocolate and sat down as well David, seeing that the third hot chocolate was not for Ada, took a seat as well. Apparently being a part of Mary Margaret's life meant getting involved with the two sisters from Boston.

He really didn't mind.

"Henry asked me about his dad and...," Emma looked at Ada, begging for some sort of validation, "I couldn't tell him the  _truth_."

Ada sighed, "It would've broken his heart."

"But he was asking, and I had to tell him  _something_  but I had no time!" Emma's eyes went wide as she continued to look at her sister, hoping Ada would tell her she did the right thing. "He's still been so sad since- and I couldn't tell him what had  _really_  happened."

"Emma," Ada said, reaching her hand across the table to grasp her sister's, "If you're asking me if you did the right thing: I don't know. I don't think there's really going to be any way  _to_  know except seeing how this all pans out. I think you should maybe tell Henry some of the truth in the future, when he's older- I guess. I mean," Ada sighed, "It's not exactly an appropriate story for a ten year-old. Then again, I can't imagine  _ever_  breaking this to Henry."

Emma saw Mary Margaret and David's confused looks as they tried to fill in the blanks. "Henry's father was no hero and trust me, he does  _not_  need to know the real story."

"No, he does not," Ada chimed in, grimacing at the thought of Neal.

"I take it we're not a fan of this guy?" David asked.

Ada's scowl said it all.

"But- what do we do about the twins then?" Mary Margaret asked, bringing them back to the original point. The four adults looked at each other in silence for a few heartbeats.

"Well," Emma spoke up, "Ada came up with a plan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really struggled with this chapter, and I'm still not satisfied with it. Really, it was the scene between Ada, Henry, and Emma when they discuss the curse. I'm just...not happy with that scene. Henry knows the curse isn't normal, but it is his norm. So in some ways, Henry's kind of zen about it at this point, especially since he knows Emma's going to break it. But then there's Emma and Ada who want to have a meltdown, but they can't with Henry and they need to keep moving and they need to help Hansel and Gretel. It was difficult to balance all the things that needed to happen in this chapter.
> 
> So, check out my Tumblr for all the info on what's gonna happen romantically (I hope nobody drops the story because it isn't what they were hoping for...hope you guys keep reading no matter what happens there); please leave a review of the chapter and tell me what you think! Thanks for all the reviews, the favorites, and the follows as always. You guys are the best.


	22. Dealing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Families are reunited, even though some are unaware of it. Emma sticks to her lie. Then, a stranger enters Storybrooke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, all! Long time no see. Or, type. Or...whatever. Been awhile- Happy belated holidays and New Year! I'm pretty busy starting a new semester at college and trying to figure out what I'm doing with my life after graduation (wow- I cannot believe how old I am!) so I'm not sure how frequently I'll be updating, but we'll see how things go. Here's the final chapter in the True North saga- which ended up being quite a bit longer than I had thought it would be. Whew.

"You're sure this plan will work?" Emma asked Ada as she stood beside the bug, ready to go to Marco's.

"Emma," Ada sighed, unable to keep herself from rolling her eyes, before she softened her voice and looked sympathetically at the blonde, "Why didn't you look at Henry when he was born?"

"Because I knew I'd keep him," Emma answered automatically.

Ada just raised her eyebrows and waited.

"Ok- that is not to say that every parent will react that way," Emma argued.

"No," Ada agreed, "But I'm willing to bet Michael Tillman is that kind of parent. As soon as he sees his kids, he won't be able to look away. Same as you with Henry. Besides, whether he wants to or not- those kids deserve to find out who he is either way. They want to see him at least once."

And with that, Ada slid into the passenger seat of the bug, clearly done waiting for Emma to make up her mind about Ada's plan. Emma sighed- she knew there was no more stalling now. Ada had made a choice, and she was going through with it come hell or high water, with or with out Emma's help.

She was about to step into the bug herself when she heard her least favorite sound in the world.

"Sheriff- what is this phone call I got about the Zimmer children being delayed in their journey to Boston?"

It was, of course, Mayor Mills.

"I think that it was a phone call about the twins staying in town for a little while longer while I looked into some leads on their father."

Regina's nostrils flared slightly in annoyance as she stared down Emma, "You went over my head."

"Actually," Emma couldn't seem to hold herself back from sniping at the Mayor today. She was just the cherry on top of a very crappy sundae, and Emma was fed up. "Ada did. And, in case you were interested: yes, we did find the father."

"And does he want to keep the children?" Regina asked, as if she already knew the answer. Indeed, she gave Emma a beat of silence before continuing on, "Delaying the inevitable here is only hurting those children more in the long run, Miss Swan. You can't just give them false hope of a happy family and then take it away. My plan for them to go to Boston was for the best- it didn't give them hope only to cruelly take it away. Did you promise them, Miss Swan?" Regina gave a small smirk, "You should know better than to make promises you can't keep. If their father doesn't want them, I expect them to be on the road to Boston. Tonight. Mr. Tillman has made his decision, and you need to do your job."

With that, Regina sashayed off, leaving Emma fuming.

"Interesting," Ada commented, "On how she apparently knew Tillman is the father. Either she's having us followed or..." Ada trailed off.

"She knew the whole time," Emma concluded her sister's train of thought. The word _curse_ hung unspoken in the air.

"Either way," Ada gritted out as Emma settled into the bug, "I'm not pleased with it."

Emma blew out a breath, "You and me both." She started the car.

* * *

Ada carefully deposited the compass back into Ava's waiting hands. She and Nicholas stood before her and Emma watching them warily, wondering. Marco stood a few feet behind them, pretending to be busy with his work but really just there in case he was needed.

He was a good sort, Marco.

"We found him," Ada told the twins, bending down so she was on eye level with them, "And we told him about you."

"Does he want us?" Nicholas spoke up, and the shock that he was the one to open his mouth first temporarily stymied Ada before she continued on.

"He's pretty scared," she admitted, "He doesn't think he'll be a good dad. But, I want to introduce you guys. Whatever happens with this, you deserve to know who he is. And even if he decides that he can't be a dad, I will work something out. I promise. Remember- I work for you guys."

Ava carefully looked at her broken compass before she lifted it up and placed it around her neck. "So we'll get to see him?" she asked Ada solemnly.

"Yes," Ada grinned, "And I think you'll like this part."

* * *

The Zimmer twins were sitting in the back of the bug, which Ada had insisted on using rather than the Patrol car. They carefully drove past Regina when they spotted her on the street, and Ada tried not to literally growl when she saw the smug look the Mayor had on her face.

Well, she'd wipe that look off the Mayor's face rather quickly.

Hoping out of the car once the Mayor was out of sight, Ada carefully popped the bug's hood, staring down at the engine.

"I almost feel like I should apologize for this," she said to Emma, but then shrugged and took out a small cup, and popped the lid.

"What is that?" Emma asked, concerned for her car, but sure Ada wouldn't do any lasting damage.

"Olive oil," she grinned, "It burns at pretty low temps, so I'm going to put some on the engine, it'll make it smoke, and then by time Tillman comes to repair the car, the oil will have burned away."

Emma stared at her sister for a couple of heartbeats, "You are so..."

"Ingenious?" Ada supplied with a grin, "Clever? Capable?"

"Twisted," Emma flatly corrected, albeit with a small smirk. She climbed back into the bug, unable to actually watch Ada attempt to do something with her beloved car's inner workers.

She hoped Ada knew what she was doing.

* * *

The last curls of smoke were just dissipating perfectly as Michael Tillman pulled up beside the bug. Emma walked up to his truck and Ada leaned against the bug, carefully watching.

"Nicholas, look!" Ada turned to look at the twins with Ava's exclamation, and watched as the two stared, shocked, as their compass began to turn. Following the point, they saw their father for the first time.

In this life at least.

"Those are them?" Michael asked Emma as she stood before him, arms crossed.

"Those are them," she confirmed, watching as the man's eyes fell on his children. She really hoped Ada was right about this. She hoped seeing them would be enough to break through whatever part of the curse was keeping them seperate.

Michael gave a small smile, but it looked choked, "I thought for a second there wasn't actually something wrong with the car- but...well, smoke."

"Olive oil," Emma admitted, since the smoke show was mostly in case Regina was watching. "Listen, I didn't think I could do it either. I gave up Henry 'cause I wanted to give him his best chance. When I saw that he didn't have it, I couldn't leave. I was just as scared, more, probably. But once I saw him, get to know him, I couldn't go back."

"You're taking them? To Boston?"

Emma shrugged, "I don't have to."

Michael Tillman looked at his children, who looked at him. The curse weakened, and his eyes glued to his family, he told Emma the words she wanted to hear: "No, you don't have to."

Ada passed the father's path as he walked over to his children, who had lowered the window of the bug so they could talk with him. Ada smiled at Emma and linked arms with her sister and gave a little jump.

"I love days like this."

"That olive oil better not have hurt my bug," Emma warned her sister. Ada just rolled her eyes.

"Enjoy the moment, Emma. After this, we'll actually have to deal with the whole curse...thing."

Emma turned to look at the reunited family, "After this."

* * *

Mary Margaret was out to dinner with David, so they had the loft to themselves. The sisters sat across from each other at the table, a bottle of scotch within easy reach of both and Henry's storybook open on the page that showed Snow White caught in Prince Charming's net.

The had very quickly decided not to bother with glasses tonight.

Emma twisted the cap off the bottle and took a swig.

"So this is happening," Ada commented dryly, her eyes glued to the book.

Emma was glad that Ada was there- she had been the one who had borrowed the book off Henry again (and she did it without getting the kid suspicious or worried: she just gave Henry and wink and a smile and he was happy to loan out his precious book); she was the one who had gotten the bottle; she had sat Emma down in the chair when they entered the loft and hadn't let her sister move.

Emma swallowed hard, "Are we sure we're not hallucinating or having some sort of psychotic break?"

"Do people usually share hallucinations and psychotic breaks? Cuz if it was just one of us then...but we both saw those kids."

"And you saw the newspapers, and asked everyone, and..." Emma trailed off.

It was Ada's turn to take a swallow from the bottle, "And there were the hints Gold kept dropping."

"Hints?" Emma asked, having not noticed them.

Ada shrugged, "He called you Charming when we had that whole thing with Ashley. And he's said some stuff to me, too. About...time, mostly."

"So Gold knows?"

"He has to," Ada shook her head. "There's no way he doesn't with the way he's been playing things. I just can't figure out his motive."

"Maybe we need to figure out who he is," Emma half-heartedly joked. But Ada took her seriously. The redhead stood and, taking a pad and pencil from one of Mary Margaret's various drawers of supplies, returned to the table.

"Let's do this," she said, poised to write.

Emma groaned, "This is not how I imagined dealing with this."

"I know, you thought you'd get drunk and go to bed, but it'll still be like this in the morning and the only thing that'll make you feel better is understanding and then getting a plan together."

Emma pulled the bottle back to her, "So I guess we can assume anything Henry told us is right?"

Ada took pencil to paper, muttering as she wrote, "Marco, Geppeto; Archie Hopper, Jiminy Cricket; Ashley Boyd, Cinderella; Sean Herman, Prince...whatever the name was; Ava and Nicholas, Gretel and Hansel; Tillman, the Woodcutter." She took a deep breath and a glance at Emma before reciting the hardest names, "Regina Mills, Evil Queen; David Nolan, Prince Charming; Mary Margaret Blanchard, Snow White; Graham, the Huntsman."

They were both quiet after the last few names, unable to meet each other's eyes. Emma had the scotch in her hand, but her hold was loose enough that a nudge would make her let go. She made no move to drink, but her other hand came up to rub lightly at the shoelace around her wrist.

"We just," Ada cleared her throat, "We need to figure out who some people are. Gold, for example. Um...are there any significant character...I mean, people, in the book we should make sure we know?"

Emma shrugged, "I guess...the Blue Fairy? Um...Red Riding Hood is Snow White's best friend."

"I think we can safely say that Ruby...is probably Red."

Emma looked at Ada for a moment, both uncomfortably aware that the ease in which they can identify these characters in the real world is not helping them deny how likely it was that Henry had known the truth this whole time.

"As for the Blue Fairy chick," Ada wrote the name down on the paper, "I've got no clue," she added a question mark next to the name.

"Maybe we haven't met her yet," Emma sighed. "But who is Gold?"

Ada ripped the top sheet off, placing it to the side, "What do we know about Gold?"

"He's a Pawnbroker," Emma immediately responded, but Ada shook her head.

"I mean about _him_ , not his job. If Princesses become teachers and maids, then we can't really take much from careers."

Emma sighed and tried again, "He likes having people owe him; he's big on contracts, loopholes; he had a deal with Ashley before we even got here- that must've been from..." the sisters exchanged another glance, "Before."

Ada continued scribbling things down, "He's a manipulator," she contributed out loud, "A chess master; he gives me bad prickings, so I don't think we're looking for a hero here."

Emma reached for the book, before deciding she was unable to even contemplate paging through it at this point. She decided on taking another swallow of scotch instead and then handed the bottle to Ada, who quickly tossed some back as well.

"We'll move onto wine after this bottle," she promised herself, not wanting Mary Margaret to come home and find them with alcohol poisoning.

"We're planning on finishing the bottle?" Emma asked; Ada just raised a single eyebrow. "Good point," Emma nodded.

"He's awfully powerful," Ada pointed out, "He's gotten the Mayor to go his way a couple of times. He owns the town. Regina's Mayor, but I think the majority of property is owned by Gold. He's got a limp? Uh...manipulator, limp, power, bad guy, oh!" Ada took the book from the table, flipping the pages quickly, looking for something. She turned the book back around, showing Emma a picture of Rumplestiltskin, with his golden scaly skin and his malevolent smirk.

"Gold does not have scales," was Emma's only comment.

"Of course not: curse," Ada replied and then took another swing as she realized what she had just said, "But look at his face- look at that expression. Don't tell me we _both_ haven't seen that smirk on Gold's face before."

"Rumpelstiltskin?" Emma's voice was practically a whimper.

"Rumplestiltskin," Ada groaned, pulling the first sheet of paper back to her and writing it down, "Mr. Gold, Rumple-fucking-stiltskin."

They both reached for the bottle. Emma got a hold of it first.

"Who else?" she sighed, putting her head down on the table as Ada took her turn with the drink.

"Well," her sister's voice came out wobbly, and a little too high-pitched, as she fiddled with the book, turning pages in an attempt to settle her nerves, "For some light-heartedness: we could figure out the Seven Dwarves."

"Please no."

"Then..." Ada sighed, "I'm going to insist we talk about the whole...parents thing."

"I think Mr. Clark is probably a dwarf."

" _Emma_ ," Ada's voice insisted.

"I just," Emma pulled her head up off the table and slowly examined the fairytale book in Ada's hands, "I never imagined this."

"You never thought you were a long-lost princess?" Ada teased. "Cuz I imagined it a few times growing up."

"Not...I mean," Emma waved to the current page- it was a picture of Snow White, obviously pregnant, and Prince Charming standing on the balcony of a nursery room, holding hands. A crib was in the corner, and everything in the room was light and airy. "They _wanted_ me."

Ada reached across the table, ignoring papers, pencils, and scotch bottles, and a fairytale book, to grasp Emma's hands.

"They did," Ada nodded, "And they only gave you up because it was your best chance. The Evil Queen... _Regina_ \- she was going to kill you. Sending you through...was the only way to guarantee you'd live. And at least they had hope they'd see you again someday."

"I just- I never imagined," Emma huffed a nervous laugh, "I was found on the side of a highway for Christssake!" She was shouting now, getting hysterical, "No one ever wanted me- no one ever stayed- no one..." Emma's tirade died off in a whisper as she struggled to get her breathing under control.

"They did," Ada whispered back to her, "I do. Henry does. It was never you, Emma- it was always them. You have _always_ been wanted- by your parents. They've forgotten, but I'll bet somewhere in them...they're wanting you. Maybe that's why Mary Margaret was so willing to post your bail when you had barely met, why she was willing to let you live with her, no matter what Regina might've done. They obviously still want each other," Ada pointed out, "I'll bet anything they want you too. And I've always wanted you, Emma. Always."

Emma's throat was working hard as her eyes blinked rapidly- trying to keep the tears at bay, "But I've spent so long thinking...I don't know what to do."

Ada shrugged, "You've spent twenty-eight years thinking they didn't want you. And knowing now that, that they did- it's not going to erase those twenty-eight years. Those feelings. But Emma- for the rest of your life, you will never have to think that again."

"But I'm not," she waved her hand, "I mean look at me- I'm damaged. You and I both know it. Even if they wanted me then- it doesn't mean they'll want me now."

"Emma," Ada cut in, her voice gone suddenly dry instead of her previously comforting tone, "Your parents are Snow freaking White and Prince freaking Charming. I think they're going to want you," she rolled her eyes slightly and then sighed, letting the moment of levity go, and her voice once again turned soothing, "Not to mention- how'd you feel if it was Henry? If Henry was you and you were them- would you still want him? Still love him?"

Emma's silence was deafening, because she knew: _yes_. She'd always love Henry. She always had, no matter how much it had cut into her whenever she saw mothers with babies, or how hollow she felt inside every August 15th.

She just didn't think the same feelings could possibly be applied to her.

"Emma- when I met you you were "damaged,"" Ada sneered the term, clearly not fond of it, but saving that battle for another day, "And I still wanted you. _I'm still here, Emma_. You've told me everything- every scar, every hurt, every crime. _I'm still here_. You think _I'm_ going to hang around and Snow White and Prince Charming, your parents, the epitome of goodness and kindness and forgiveness and all those warm fluffy things, _aren't_? Emma, this is the Foster System, your Foster Parents, this is Neal, this is Regina talking. Tell them to shut the hell up."

Emma let the argument go, still not convinced, still unwilling to look any further into it. It was just...too much. Ada recognized this and opened the book to a random page, hoping for a distraction, and immediately regretted it.

 _Graham_.

Both girls went silent as they stared at the picture of the Huntsman.

Suddenly, Emma gasped.

Ada looked up at her sister sharply just to watch as Emma's lips formed the words, "He remembered."

* * *

Ada sipped on some coffee she had made for herself using Mary Margaret's machine. She was about half way through the pot she'd made already- it had been an emotional night. Henry's books and the papers she had scribbled on were tucked away in Emma's room with Emma, who, exhausted, heartbroken, and a little drunk, had fallen into bed with some help from Ada.

Ada was waiting up for Mary Margaret- Snow White.

Emma's mother.

It was probably a little strange that that last title was the oddest of all for Ada. It seemed to be the hardest for Emma to wrap her head around, too.

Graham had remembered.

Ada wasn't sure exactly what that all had entailed, but she knew enough to feel heartbroken all over again.

Mary Margaret stumbled into the apartment at that moment, obviously high on life. Ada wondered how much of Snow White was really in the schoolteacher. The curse had obviously changed some things- Jiminy Cricket wasn't a cricket, Snow White and Prince Charming were separated. Prince Charming had been _married_ to another woman. Ada wasn't sure how much of the badass princess she'd admired in the story book (before realizing Snow White was apparently _real_ ) was in the meek and sweet teacher of Storybrooke. The curse was supposed to take away everyone's happiness- did it change parts of their personalities? Make them...less then themselves? Almost like shadows? The storybook Ada had read showed a Snow White who would not back down- Mary Margaret was one to back down pretty easily, unless something really pushed her.

Storybrooke...story _book_...god, it was right in front of them the whole time, wasn't it? She'd feel stupid if the whole curse thing wasn't so off the wall.

Mary Margaret's grin stretched across her face and she practically danced over to the table before collapsing into a seat beside Ada, who continued to drink her coffee.

"Ask me how it went," she breathed, stars in her eyes.

"How'd it go?" Ada obliged.

Mary Margaret's grin, if possible, got wider, "Wonderful. We talked and he was so...he's just so..."

"Charming?" Ada couldn't help but supply.

Mary Margaret's face scrunched up momentarily, as if something about that had struck her as odd, (or as if some part of her was, perhaps, trying to remember) but then she nodded, "He really is."

Ada gave a small grin. She's talking with Snow White about boys.

God, her life was going to get weird now, wasn't it?

"Did your plan work like you thought for the Zimmer twins?" Mary Margaret had asked.

"Mr. Tillman changed his mind," Ada gave a nonchalant shrug and took another sip of coffee.

Mary Margaret's eyes were shrewd as she looked at the redhead, "Changed his mind? Just like that?"

Ada's eyes were finding the bricks of Mary Margaret's wall fascinating as she dryly answered, "He might've had a nudge."

"They found their father," Mary Margaret leaned back in her chair, her face giving a sweet and peaceful smile. "That's great."

Ada looked carefully at the woman across from her- she was sweet, and kind, and the smile she currently wore was soft and full of hope.

She'd have been a good mother, Ada thought.

"Maybe Emma'll figure out what that feels like soon," she calmly said, trying to see what sort of reaction she might get.

Mary Margaret's smile softened even further, "She's got to hold onto hope," the schoolteacher nodded firmly, causing Ada to remember that maybe Mary Margaret and Snow White had more in common than a first glance suggested.

"It's hard to hold onto hope," Ada said, her lips pulling down. In recent years Emma hadn't said much about finding her biological parents. She'd comment on the futility of it, say how there were no leads, but Ada hadn't caught Emma examining the file she kept the newspaper clips and few leads she'd had. When they first started living together, she'd find Emma studying it in dim lights on lonely nights, hiding it. A few years in and Emma stopped hiding her search, but she still didn't take out the file in front of Ada. But in the past few years, Ada hadn't walked in on Emma paging through old newspaper clippings as often.

And now they'd found her parents after all. And Emma was worried they might not want her after all this time.

"Maybe there's an explanation," Mary Margaret said, her eyebrows coming together as her eyes drifted towards where Emma was sleeping out of sight.

"It'd have to be as crazy as Henry's," Ada slyly pointed out.

Mary Margaret grinned, "And what's that?"

"That Emma's parents put her in a magical wardrobe to save her from a terrible curse in hopes that someday she'd save them."

Mary Margaret gave a small chuckle, "Oh, and who does he think they are?"

"You and David, of course," Ada hid most of her face behind her coffee mug as she watched Mary Margaret absorb this.

The woman was still, her face suddenly going slack and her eyes unfocused. Ada briefly wondered if maybe, maybe, just suggesting it was going to be enough for Mary Margaret to have a break through and suddenly have Snow White there.

But, no, because the schoolteacher's face turned wistful and she practically whispered, "I have a kid, you'd think I'd remember that."

"You'd think," Ada muttered.

* * *

The next day was tough. Ada hug out in the Sheriff's station with Emma all day, both still a bit in shock over recent discoveries. Emma was mechanical in doing her work, and Ada's eyes often drifted away from the book she'd brought to absorb herself in (she hadn't turned a page since she'd first opened it).

They eventually managed to drag themselves to Granny's for lunch, where they crammed themselves deep into the booth and couldn't quite stop themselves from staring at the various townsfolk. They were so absorbed they didn't even notice a few people gossiping over Mary Margaret and David's date.

Unable to handle the questions, they fled back to the Sheriff's station fairly quickly and sat side-by-side on one of the cells' cots as they murmured back and forth.

There was a lot to say, but neither sister was quite sure how to articulate it.

* * *

Mary Margaret was used to returning to an empty loft. She'd lived alone for...well, it seemed like forever. But now she knew in a few hours Emma would turn up, back from working in the Sheriff's station all day. So it was a much more cheerful mood Mary Margaret found herself in nowadays coming home to an empty loft. She'd fallen into a routine of straightening up whatever needed straightening and then beginning on some dinner for herself and Emma. She always made enough for three since she never could tell when Ada would drop in (it was more often than not) and eat with them.

Mary Margaret had just re-fluffed the pillows on her couch to her satisfaction and was starting on some supper when she noticed a cardboard box sitting in the little nook that was off her kitchen area. She wandered over, figuring it was Emma's and she'd put in on the table for Emma to put away where ever she wanted when she got home. Picking it up, she accidentally jostled it to much and it fell slightly, spilling some of it's contents on the floor before she managed to catch it.

Sighing, and feeling a tad guilty for accidentally going through some of Emma's stuff, Mary Margaret bent down and picked up the manila envelope that had fallen out and pulled up short when she saw the other item that had fallen out.

It was a worn baby blanket, white yarn with a purple ribbon boarder and the name _Emma_ stitched carefully in one corner where the ribbon was tied into a sweet bow. Mary Margaret reached out, carefully grasping the knitted yarn and pulling it towards her delicately, as if it were precious and fragile. This baby blanket probably had been through a lot- parts of it were worn where a younger Emma had evidently had a habit of holding onto it, and some of the yarn was beginning to fray from age and use.

She knelt there on the floor, and gently brought the blanket to her nose and _breathed._ For a moment there, the brunette could've sworn she smelled something- some lingering scent of baby. But she shook herself slightly, reminding that though it was a baby blanket, it had doubtless been many years and countless washes since it had been wrapped around one. There was no lingering scent.

Mary Margaret carefully folded the precious item and tucked it back into Emma's box, and then distractedly walked back to her kitchen island, trying to refocus herself on dinner.

She wasn't entirely successful.

* * *

It was only when Mary Margaret greeted the sisters when they returned to the loft that Emma and Ada were able to shake themselves out of their funk.

"What did you two do today?" she had asked as she stirred something on the stove-top. Dinner. "Ada- are you going to stay for dinner? I've made enough if you want to."

Emma was struck in how _normal_ it felt. This was something that happened every day to people living with their parents. Emma briefly had the absurd thought that Mary Margaret was about to tell Ada to call her parents to let her know she was staying for dinner.

"Uh, sure," Ada responded, shaking her head lightly, breaking herself out of her daze. "Dinner sounds good."

Mary Margaret gave them both a smile over her shoulder, before her eyes settled on Emma once again. "By the way," she added, gesturing to the kitchen table, "I found that sitting down here, I figured it was yours, so you can put it where ever it belongs."

Emma nodded and went to fetch her box. She'd left it downstairs after she and Ada had spent the night drinking.

"I accidentally dropped it," Mary Margaret confessed quickly, her eyes conveying apologies, "I didn't want to go through it, but-" she trailed off.

"Oh," Emma said, before waving it off, "It's okay."

"It's a pretty blanket," Mary Margaret couldn't help but blurt out.

Emma turned to look at her, eyes filled with _something_ the schoolteacher couldn't name. "Thanks," the blonde softly replied before gathering up her box and taking it upstairs.

* * *

Ada and Emma leaned against the bug, Emma examining some newspaper clips of her as a baby. Many of them decried her apparently negligent parents- leaving a beautiful newborn baby girl on the side of the road. For years Emma had believed what they had said- that her parents must've been horrible people, who just tossed her to the side of the road immediately after she was born. Couldn't even bother to go to the hospital.

"I think it's getting weaker," Ada commented, trying to get Emma to look away from those newspaper clips, "The curse," she added, unnecessarily, "I mean, I think...the more you do, the more you're here, the more roots you gain, the weaker it gets."

"Basically," Emma sighed, tossing the folder into the the open window of the bug. "Anything that pisses off Regina."

"And that is what we call a fringe benefit," Ada joked.

"Hey," Henry's voice caused them both to turn, seeing him on the other side of the bug, standing there with a white bakery box in his hands.

"Hey, Henry," Ada responded, her eyes darting between Emma and the boy. She'd almost forgotten the drama of Henry asking about Neal in everything that had been going on.

"What's up?" Emma asked him, taking a few steps towards Henry as he rounded the car to lean against it with them.

"Pumpkin pie," Henry answered casually, "I thought you'd like some." Any semblance of offhandedness vanished though when he nervously inquired, even as Emma smiled at him, "It _was_ pumpkin, right?"

"Yeah," Emma nodded, and if her voice was slightly breathless, only Ada noticed. "Listen, Henry, about your father-," Emma began, feeling a twinge of guilt. She'd lied. It was so Henry wouldn't be heartbroken, true. But Emma wondered if maybe a part of her hadn't wanted Henry to know because she'd spent her childhood and much of her adulthood thinking the worst of her parents, thinking that something must've been wrong with her, too, if she came from such obviously horrible people. She'd felt shame and disgust and a whole gauntlet of emotions that she hadn't wanted Henry to ever fathom. She'd thought things she never wanted Henry to imagine. Maybe a part of her had wanted and wished that someone had been there to tell her a story, true or not, so that she could've had some sort of imaginary parents worth being proud of. Or at least, imagine that they weren't something to be ashamed of.

Kids could be cruel, and Emma had been taunted many times about how terrible her parents must've been.

It still stung some days.

Wasn't it good that Henry wouldn't feel that? Especially with everything else going on in his life? With the curse, and Regina's emotional abuse, and her gaslighting, and Graham's death? With being unable to have any real friends? With already knowing that he'd been born in jail? That Emma wasn't perfect or much of a Savior at all?

But still, she'd _lied_.

Emma had always hated when people tried to lie to her.

Then Henry smiled- soft and happy and he chirped "Yeah?" and tilted his head slightly.

Emma's heart melted and her resolved firmed.

No, she would not be one more person to break Henry's heart. "I'm glad that I told you," she lied, and Henry's smile got wider.

Ada watched the two, remaining quiet as they shared their moment. She wasn't sure whether or not Emma was doing the right thing. It could be. Or it could be wrong. There was no manual on this, and even if there was, circumstances made it unlikely to be applicable to them. Seeing Henry happy, Ada couldn't regret Emma's actions. However, there was that niggling twinge that she knew Emma shared.

Because they were both lying.

Parents lied all the time- about Santa and the Easter Bunny, and how you shouldn't go swimming for a half hour after eating. Innocent lies. Good lies. Sometimes they were temporary lies. A six-year-old asks where babies come from and you give an appropriate explanation to be revised later.

Was this like Santa Claus? Would they stick to this story and let Henry believe as long as he would? Or was this a temporary lie? Would Emma be revising this story in a few years when Henry was a bit older and in a better place in life?

Ada didn't know, but Henry told Emma "Me too" and was hugging her warmly. Ada couldn't see Emma's face, but she could see a bit of Henry's where it wasn't pressed against Emma. His expression seemed calm. At peace.

Were they supposed to take that away for the sake of a truth that wouldn't change anything really? Neal was long gone, never coming back. He didn't even stick around long enough to find out about Henry. No matter what Emma told him, Henry was never going to meet his biological father.

Was it better to give him a fairytale?

Emma sighed as she and Henry released each other, and she smiled and said "Give me that," taking the pie from Henry's hand.

They settled against the bug again, and Henry stepped so he could be between Emma and Ada, surrounded by his new family on either side. Emma opened the pie box, and Henry looked up at both women.

"What you guys did, with Ava and Nicholas," he grinned, "You really are changing things."

"Well, be ready- cuz they'll keep changing," Ada assured him as she slug an arm around Henry. Emma passed one plastic fork to her son as the two of them split the pie.

"You want some pie?" Henry sweetly offered Ada, but she shook her head.

"I think this one is for you two," she assured him.

The three paused and turned to look down the road as they heard a rumbling noise. They each watched as a motorcycle pulled up opposite them and the man on the bike turned it off. Ada settled her hand more firmly on Henry's shoulder as Emma straightened up, examining the man who was taking off his helmet and then walking towards them. Ada's prickings were jangling slightly- nothing bad, but not good like she felt with Emma or Henry. Just enough to put her on alert.

"Hi," he greeted with a smile. Emma seemed to be a little dazed, examining his face carefully.

"Hi," she replied.

"Is this Storybrooke?" he asked, pronouncing the name slowly as if to be sure.

Emma's eyebrow's raised slightly and Ada unconsciously tightened her hold on Henry, who was trying to get a good look at whoever this was. "Yeah," Emma nodded.

"Any place to get a room around here?" the stranger inquired.

"Uh," Henry cut in, still held back by Ada and partially hidden by Emma's body, "You're staying?"

The stranger gave another smile, "That's the plan. I'm looking for a bed."

"Granny's Bed and Breakfast is up two blocks," Ada spoke, gesturing, "I'm staying there myself right now. I can show you, if you like."

"Thanks, but I can find my way," the stranger gave another nod and walked back to his bike.

"I didn't catch your name," Emma shouted after him.

"That's 'cause I didn't give it!"

The trio watched as his bike started and drove away. Emma looked at Henry, "I thought you said strangers don't come to Storybrooke."

"They don't," Henry replied solemnly.

Ada felt a chill run up her spine. Something strange was in the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's that chapter. It didn't have much action in it, but I wanted to take some time for the characters to deal with things (hence, the chapter title), and with Ada and Emma figuring out the curse, we kinda need a chapter where they just dealt with that. Or tried to.
> 
> But August has appeared! I've got no plans for him, to be totally honest- I'm playing that one by ear.
> 
> Thoughts?


	23. Mothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Different characters and their relationships with their mothers. Also, Kathryn receives some distressing news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all. Sorry for the long gap between posts: I've been pretty busy getting back into the swing of school and then my best friend had a very sudden death in her family, so I've been trying to spend as much time with her as I can so I'm there if she wants to talk or if she wants to sit in complete silence for awhile and not think.
> 
> But, no more sad things: we've got the start of episode 7:15 A.M. in this chapter. Things are ramping up in the emotional aspect: Emma knows. She KNOWS. Emma's freaking out, but Henry's on cloud nine, of course. We'll get to see Snow and Charming develop a bit more next chapter. Or, rather, Mary Margaret and David. They're really adorable, but this chapter (if you couldn't tell by the title) will mostly be focusing on mothers and then relationships between the female characters in general. Snowing will be waiting for us next chapter.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy the next chapter!

Regina Mills was not having a good week. She'd received reports about how that timid schoolteacher, Mary Margaret, and the coma patient David Nolan were going on what appeared to be dates. Dates. Plural. Regina had done her best to stall and stop the divorce papers the fool Nolan insisted on filing, but she was getting stretched thin now. There was too much happening in her sleepy kingdom. People were waking up. She'd been getting judgmental looks from the Dwarves and other insipid residents. Before _they_ came, no one would've dared glance in her direction unless commanded to. And now, as she exited her pristine and prestigious home she saw yet another worrying sight: a stranger.

Regina knew the citizens of Storybrooke like the back of her hand. Not only were they each selected by herself to be taken by the curse, not only were they her bitterest enemies, but she had spent twenty eight years watching them go about their miserable lives with her own perpetual glee. Well, her glee wasn't _perpetual_. She had been lonely, that's why she had tried to convince that sweet little Owen Flynn to stay with her, let her be his family. Of course, he'd run away from her, cursing her name, seeking that dirty... _pointless_ father of his. She couldn't understand why that boy wanted the man when Regina had so much more to offer. It was a slap in the face, just as Hansel and Gretel's refusal all those years ago had been. But she'd hit upon a solution: adopt. Find a child who no one else had a claim to, find a baby, someone who would only ever have her, only ever need and want her. In some respects, she had been bitterly disappointed: Henry had only ever had her, and _should_ only ever need her- she'd made sure that she was his entire world, but he had gone out, gone seeking, looking for others.

 _Emma Swan_.

It was another slap to the face in a long line of them. First Hansel and little Gretel, then Owen, and now, Henry, the boy she had provided everything to. It was a bitter pill to swallow, and Regina refused to. She spat it out. Henry would be her own again- Emma Swan and Ada Ward were nothing, and _her son_ would soon see that. She'd make sure of it.

And, yet, here he was: talking to a stranger. Regina knew the citizens of Storybrooke. This man, with his motorcycle, scruffy face, and leather jacket, was not one of them.

Was this yet another person to take Henry away? Miss Swan wouldn't call a birth father she had already said never even knew about Henry. Would she? Would the infuriating woman actually track down the old sperm donor just to further weaken Regina's claim to Henry?

No. That didn't seem to be Miss Swan's style. She'd already done enough damage as it was on her own. Add in a little help from the annoying Miss Ward, and Regina doubted the blonde felt nervous enough to go to that sort of length.

But...Miss Swan could be useful in this circumstance. She didn't know why no strangers came to Storybrooke, and this one...this one was talking to Henry. As much as Regina hated to admit it, Miss Swan did have a tendency of putting Henry's safety first. Regina could use that to get the Sheriff to do some investigating.

"Henry," she called out as the man drove away on his motorcycle, having evidently completed whatever repairs he was doing in front of her home, "Who was that?"

Henry just shrugged, and a part of Regina hated to admit she wasn't sure if the boy sincerely didn't know, or if he just didn't want to tell her. Mothers are supposed to know those things, right? Her mother did, at least; of course, she had no desire to be like her mother.

She shut down that train of thought before she was forced to face the irony of it.

* * *

Emma tried very hard not to stare at Mary Margaret as the woman...her mother...moved around the tiny apartment in a rush, toothbrush still in her mouth as the newscaster reported an incoming storm.

Emma was pretty sure she was failing. This was her mother, getting ready in a rush to go meet...her father.

For a date.

Even though they were actually married.

But they had no idea.

And they didn't know who she was.

Emma had always figured that if she had ever found her birth mother it would be complicated, but this was a whole new level. And she had found her father, too- something she had figured would never happen. After all, how many established couples that would remain together for decades after the fact, give up a baby? She figured she might've found a step father, or half-siblings.

She hadn't thought about those possible people much: the family that her birth mother would choose to keep, that she would want around.

Unlike Emma.

But here was her mother, chanting how late she was to meet David at Granny's, and there was no step father or half-siblings, because her mother had been in love with her father, would still be with him, would have kept Emma if not...for a curse.

"I'm sure if you're five minutes late he'll understand," Emma managed to get out and she slowly swirled her spoon in the cereal she had poured for herself and since lost her appetite for.

"Still," Mary Margaret paused long enough to flash Emma a blinding smile, "I don't want to miss a second." With that and a cheery wave, Mary Margaret, Emma's mother, left the apartment, leaving Emma sitting at the table with a mostly full bowl of cereal and no idea what to do with herself.

"You've missed quite a few," she acknowledged to the now empty room.

* * *

"Regina, do you have a minute?" Kathryn formerly-Nolan asked as she walked into the Mayor's office.

Regina quickly put away the papers she had been looking at, "Of course," she replied easily, standing up to meet with her friend.

Kathryn broke down, "It's over, I mean- I know it was over before, when we got the papers and signed everything, and all that, but now it's really over because-" her breath hitched, "I saw David with-."

"That little homewrecker," Regina cursed. Damn Snow White for, even now, ruining all of Regina's carefully placed plans. Mary Margaret was not supposed to _be_ with David Nolan. She had very purposely left David Nolan in his loveless marriage to the former Princess Abigail for the delight and fun of the irony of it. Now, her carefully placed plans and the story she had built here was ruined.

"Oh, it's not-"

"She just couldn't stay away could she?" Regina sneered.

"Regina?"

"They had an _affair_ , and now that he's left you he thinks it's okay for him to happily go off with his little side piece. Like she hadn't ruined a marriage."

"You mean they- while we were still- Regina do you _know_ something?" Kathryn's teary eyes looked up at the Mayor, desperately seeking answers.

Regina sighed, ready to play this to the hilt. She could have photos faked easily- this was still her town, and it was still her game, so all she had to do was set up the board to her liking. "I... saw pictures. Sidney was always looking for scandal, it sells papers, he showed me. I buried them of course."

"Show me," Kathryn commanded, almost sounding like her former self, the cold Princess, daughter of King Midas.

Regina tried to remember what she had done with the obnoxiously loyal and chivalrous Frederick, but dismissed it as irrelevant. After all, they were her puppets, and she wanted Kathryn and David, not Kathryn and Frederick with David and Mary Margaret. The point of this all was to ruin Snow White's happiness. She couldn't pander to Kathryn's happiness if she wanted to achieve that- reuniting Kathryn with Frederick would only clear the way further for Mary Margaret and David, and that was _not_ Regina's goal. She wanted them _all_ miserable.

This was her happy ending.

Why did Emma Swan have to make it such hard work?

* * *

Ada examined the bracelet dangling from her wrist, instead of focusing on the paper she had been scanning for apartments. The bracelet was a thin, silver chain with a single charm on it: a Celtic tree.

It had been her mother's.

Ada tried, as she always did at the sight of the bracelet, to conjure up the increasingly blurring memories of her parents. She had lived most of her life, most of her childhood, without them, and while she could remember that she had inherited her vibrant red hair from her mother, she couldn't recall which parent had given her her eyes, or her smile. She remembered her father used to sing her lullabies, but couldn't remember the sound of his voice or the words he would sing.

She did remember the warm feeling of being loved by them, the unconditional feeling of it. Ada never questioned if her parents would be proud of her, or if they would love the woman she had become without them.

Emma had those questions; Ada was able to remember that warm, unconditional feeling.

But now, she faltered.

Not in the feeling that her parents would love her even now, but in the love of her current family.

Emma.

Ada stared at her mother's bracelet and wondered what was wrong with her, that part of her wished Emma's parents weren't so...everything.

Snow White and Prince Charming: they were everything Emma had ever convinced herself not to want and everything Emma deserved.

Ada just wasn't sure where she was going to fit into it all when everything came to light.

Emma's parents had always wanted her- had only given her up for her best chance, for her life.

Ada had never prepared to face that.

Ada had been prepared for Emma to perhaps someday find her birth mother, to perhaps even manage some sort of friendly relationship with her, in the very best of (rather unlikely) outcomes. But she had never thought Emma would actually get a _mom._ A _mom_ , not a _birth mother_. She had always had the idea that, no matter how good a relationship Emma might be able to form with her birth mother, it wouldn't begin to touch the closeness, the bond between Emma and herself.

Ada wasn't sure she was liking the emotions that Emma's parentage was stirring up in her.

Emma had often wondered aloud what she would do without Ada- for so long Ada had been it: Emma's only family, her only real support, her only constant, the one person who Emma actually believed wouldn't leave her, the person who Emma didn't constantly question if she deserved to have in her life.

But Ada also needed Emma, because while she certainly wasn't as closed-off as her sister, Emma was it for her too. Emma was Ada's family. Emma was the one who had Ada's back when she bit off more than she could chew (which happened alarmingly frequently). Emma was it.

But with her parents coming into the picture, would Emma and Ada still be sisters? Or would they downgrade to best friends? Ada wouldn't have any family then.

Ada stared at her mother's bracelet and wondered.

Would she still have a family after all this was over? Or would she begin to feel like an orphan again?

And it wasn't right- Emma should have her parents, and Ada hated herself for feeling this way. So she shook herself and shoved the feelings away- she didn't need them. Ada refocused her eyes on the paper before her and defiantly send the hand with the bracelet forth to grab her coffee out of direct eyesight.

No matter what happened, Emma needed her now, and Ada would be there, come hell or high water.

* * *

Emma and Ada carefully loaded up the back of the cruiser with supplies for the storm coming through, the car was running with the radio playing, and the weatherman's voice was the focus of both girls as they carefully stockpiled the last of their food and batteries and any other supplies they considered essentials.

"Storybrooke is seeing wind gusts of up to six miles an hour," the weatherman chirped in that annoying voice it seemed all tv and radio announcers had, "Your best bet is to stay in the house-" the voice was suddenly shut off with a slight click as the last bag was loaded. Emma and Ada exchanged a quick, dry glance at the sudden silence.

They knew who had shut off the radio.

"Hello, Madame Mayor," Ada coolly said as she carefully shut the cruiser's trunk and turned to look at Regina. Emma straightened as well. "How are you today?"

The Mayor, as usual, cut directly to what she wanted to say, "I need you to look into something, Sheriff," she focused her laser-like attention on Emma, "Someone's in town—someone new."

"Yeah," Emma gave a small nod as she crossed her arms and leaned against the cruiser. "I know. We gave him directions to Granny's the other night."

"You talked to him?" Regina pounced on the information, "Well, what'd he say?"

Emma shrugged, attempting to be casual. They all knew why Regina was so concerned with having a stranger in her town. Ada cut in, "He asked for directions. What's the big deal? Is he somebody important?"

"I don't know. I asked around but no one seems to know anything. There's something about him—something familiar," Regina's gaze was slightly distant as the sisters exchanged a look, but decided to keep their mouths shut.

Regina was brought back to the present after Ada cleared her throat, "Sheriff, I need you to find out who he is, what he wants, and what he's doing here."

"You know," Ada chimed in, "As hard as you've tried to find it- there is no law against visiting Storybrooke. Otherwise, Emma and I would've been escorted to the boarder by you personally months ago."

"This isn't about the law, Miss Ward," she looked at Emma, "Miss Swan, you're gonna do this because I asked you to and because you'll see it's the right thing to do."

Ada muttered, "Oh, this'll be good."

"And why is that?" Emma asked, hoping Regina hadn't heard her sister's mutinous mutterings. Not that she probably hadn't heard worse from Ada before.

"Because he was in front of my house, taking a particular interest in the one thing we both care about—Henry."

Emma immediately straightened, "I'll look into him," Emma walked towards the front of the cruiser, Ada following, and thunder rumbled.

* * *

Kathryn dispassionately examined photographs that showed David and Mary Margaret meeting. There was no kissing caught on camera, but Kathryn had no doubt it had happened. Regina was the one to tell her everything, after Kathryn insisted she wanted the truth.

She was very lucky to have a friend like Regina- she was willing to take care of Kathryn when no one else was interested. Not David, at least. Regina put Kathryn's happiness first, and after so many years of isolating loneliness, it felt good.

Kathryn briefly wondered why she and Regina hadn't become friend sooner- they saw each other all the time around town after all, but the thought quickly vanished in a haze.

* * *

Ada held her tongue as Emma drove the car towards Granny's, and waited until Emma had put it in park before she reached across the console and gripped Emma's arm.

"What?" the blonde asked impatiently.

"I'm going to insist on just a moment to discuss our plan here. I want a logic moment."

"A logic moment?" Emma asked incredulously.

"Yes, a moment where we use our brains instead of rushing in half-cocked."

"He-"

"Talked to Henry, I know. But- maybe, instead of interrogating a complete stranger, we could go see Henry, assure ourselves with our own two eyes that he is safe and sound, ask him what the stranger said and how- the kid is pretty smart, but I think we both know it's entirely possible Henry walked up and introduced himself to a complete stranger. I'd like to avoid a moment where we put our foots in our mouths. Spit's not good for these shoes," she gestured to the blue heels she was wearing, "Now, I'd also like to point out- we don't know Regina's motive for having us check out this guy."

"Because Henry-"

"Yes, yes, I know. But here's the thing, Regina's...feelings aside, it's never really about Henry, is it? It's usually about what she _wants_ from Henry. She wants him to only want or need her. She wants him to be the child she wants and nothing else. She wants him there when she wants to be with him, and wants him out of the way and not doing anything with anyone else when she'd rather go off and do her own thing. Yes?"

Emma was silent.

"So," Ada continued, "As much as I am normally a fan of the racing-off-into-the-unknown or the brashly-doing-whatever-I-feel-like-at-that-moment plan...I think we're going to have to play this differently with the whole...curse thing. Let's face it: strangers aren't supposed to be able to come to Storybrooke, and that's probably why Regina wants us checking out this guy. We don't even know for sure he talked to Henry at all, that might've just been something Regina said to get you to do what she wanted."

Emma sighed and leaned her head against the steering wheel, "You're right. God, I hate that."

Ada gave Emma a joking pat on the back, prompting the blonde to send her a glare. "Yeah," she shrugged. "Give it a minute- you'll be right then and I'll be wrong."

Emma smirked, "I like the sound of that. Let's go walk Henry home from school."

"Good plan, how'd you come up with it?" Ada said in a fake sweet voice.

Emma snorted, "Shut up."

* * *

Henry was pleased to see both Emma and Ada waiting for him when he exited the school that afternoon. The sky was dark and stormy, ready to open up and pour properly, no doubt. Henry was a bit amazed- the weather didn't change much in Storybrooke with the curse, but now that Emma was here, Mother Nature seemed to be ready to make up for all the rain the curse hadn't let her pour down on Storybrooke in one go.

Henry, despite the gloomy day, bounded over to the two sisters waiting for him with a broad grin.

"Hey!"

Emma and Ada both grinned immediately at the sight of him, and Henry felt that warm feeling he got whenever he noticed how easy it was to make Emma smile at him. He watched the girls carefully- eyes trained to pick up the slightest shift in body language or expression. He'd learned to watch and observe people- how else was he going to figure out who was really who? Emma's shoulders relaxed slightly- she had been worried about something, and Ada's eyes brightened a bit- she was happy to see him.

"Hey, kid," Emma immediately slung an arm around his shoulders as he came beside her. "How was school?"

"Pretty boring," Henry shrugged casually. Of course, lessons got more interesting now that time was moving and it wasn't the same thing day after day, but he wasn't about to tell Emma that- he knew she'd feel guilty for it. Why she would, he didn't really get, but he knew she would anyways.

"I heard something about making volcanoes," Ada chimed in, walking on his other side so he was bracketed by the women, "How could that be boring?"

"Well, we haven't made them yet- that's going to be tomorrow," and Henry was excited for that bit, he'd admit.

"Henry," Emma began, and he knew it was serious- she only ever used his full name when it was serious, "We kind of have to ask you something."

"Have you seen that stranger again?" Ada seamlessly picked up Emma's train of thought.

Henry nodded, "Yeah, this morning, why?"

"Well, your mom came to talk to me," Emma said, "She wants me to check him out, and she said he was outside your house talking to you."

Henry shrugged casually, "Yeah, he was fixing his bike. He said he was just visiting Storybrooke and that he had something to do- it was about that box he had."

"So," Ada clarified, "He was fixing his bike outside your house and you walked up and started talking to him?"

"Yeah," Henry nodded, "Do you think she wants you to find out who he is so she can find a way to get him to leave Storybrooke? Strangers aren't supposed to come here with the curse."

Emma sighed, "I don't know what she wants, kid, but I'll check out the guy a bit and see if I can figure out what he's doing here. Your mom'll want some information even if it's just: travel blogger."

Henry leaned forward, "So I made some progress with Operation Cobra," he whispered to the two sisters.

"Oh?" Ada asked, leaning in as well, "What?"

"I figured out who the Blue Fairy is."

"Really?" Ada's eyebrows raised, "I haven't been able to figure her out yet."

Henry nodded, "I don't think you've met her. She's Mother Superior- I think all the nuns are the fairies."

Emma made a face, "From fairies to nuns- that's quite a change."

Henry just shrugged, "It's the Evil Queen's curse: she makes the rules. But now you're here, and you can change them." And Henry gave Emma his most hopeful of smiles, and the blonde practically melted.

"Yeah," she promised softly.

* * *

Regina surveyed her kingdom. She smirked at the thought- she did love her little jokes with herself. It was one way to keep herself entertained over the repetitious years. That and Henry.

Things were turning around. Sure, she might need to make something...unfortunate happen to Kathryn, but David would go crawling back to his former betrothed. After all, she had made him cowardly in this world- she had taken away that legendary courage, buried it deep under the curse, covered it with a haze so if the man ever try to reach for it, he would loose track of his goals and take the easy way out. And Regina would watch Mary Margaret fall apart, just as she had fallen apart when the annoying Snow White blabbed, and cost Regina her beloved Daniel.

Regina avoided the question of what Daniel would think of her now. After all, this was all for him: literally in his name. Henry Daniel Mills was her tribute to those who had meant something to her, to those she had lost because of Snow White. First Daniel, then her darling father. Snow White tipped Regina's hand into casting this curse, and that had caused Henry's death. Regina would make sure Snow White remained lost inside Mary Margaret, and that she remained miserable.

It was for the two men who loved her, after all.

* * *

"So, let me get this straight," Ada dryly began, "You want me to be your honeypot?"

Emma rolled her eyes, "We're not in a James Bond movie, A- I just want you go casually strike up a conversation with the stranger, get a name- you..."

"Look less intimidating with my pretty floral skirt and high heels?" Ada immediately finished the thought, "Fine. I'll admit- my appearances are incredibly deceiving."

Emma just sighed as she waited for Ada to get her requisite commentary out of the way.

"Though I can be plenty intimidating when I want to," Ada continued as she put on her raincoat in preparation of heading to Granny's diner, where she and Emma assumed the stranger would be, "But after I report back to you, M., I'm going to go talk to the fairies."

"Not a James Bond movie," Emma repeated, "And if anyone would be M., it'd be you."

"Damn right."

"So fairies?" Emma asked casually.

"Just to scope things out, confirm Henry's guess."

Emma said nothing as her sister flounced out the apartment door, leaving the blonde sitting there, pretending not to be waiting for Mary Margaret to return home.

* * *

"So," Ada began, approaching the stranger sitting at a booth in Granny's. "I see you found the place alright."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's what I've got! Hope you guys enjoyed- it's a little thin, I think. Not terribly pleased with how this is flowing since it's difficult to balance the plot with Emma knowing now. This is pretty much a filler chapter, and I hate filler chapters even when they are necessary to get to the non-filler plot-driven chapters. Oh, well. What did you guys think? Drop a review!


	24. Happiness is Up to You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mary Margaret struggles to let go of her guilt and her feelings of responsibility, but David helps. Meanwhile, Ada and Kathryn chat about what it takes to be happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so much easier to write then last chapter. Hence why you're getting it so quickly. I did not realize how very little actually happens in this episode until I started writing it. God, it's boring. I'm going to skip over huge chunks of it because it's boring. As previously stated. Well, the episode wasn't boring- just most of the interesting stuff happened in the flashbacks, which does nothing for my story. I've already started combining some elements of the later episodes to these in the last chapter, and plan to continue to do so. We're speeding up the timeline here, people, cuz I want to get to the fun stuff. So here we have the conclusion of the episode 7:15 AM and a bit of the next episode: Fruit of the Poisonous Tree along with What Happened to Frederick. Because I can.

"So nothing, huh?" Ada asked Emma who, frustrated, was unable to stop herself from hitting the top of the Sheriff station's ancient computer.

"Nothing under August W. Booth, August Booth, August Wayne Booth, Wayne Booth, Wayne A. Booth," Emma gave a frustrated sigh. "It might be a penname for all I know."

Ada sighed, "Or, alternately, there's nothing to find."

"I keep bumping into this guy," Emma huffed, "It's starting to annoy me."

"It's a small town filled with fairytale characters. I'm not sure you could avoid him if you tried," Ada placated.

"How'd it go with the nuns?"

"Well, after getting suckered into helping with the upcoming Miner's Day festival," Ada grimaced, "I think Henry's right. Besides, how many small towns even have nunneries? That's weird enough on it's own."

Emma sighed. "Hot chocolate?"

"For you. I want coffee."

"Let's go then," Emma stood and grabbed her coat.

* * *

Mary Margaret left the path for the woods as soon as she heard the unmistakable sound of an dove in distress. She always did have a soft spot for the creatures of the world, and birds in particular.

"Oh," she cooed as she saw the struggling dove, trapped in a net, "Hey. How did you manage to get yourself," she continued her muttering as she picked the poor bird up, net and all, "Come on," she reassured it, "It's going to be okay."

After all, she knew just the place to take the poor thing.

And if it brought her to see David again, that was just a fringe benefit.

* * *

Mary Margaret was trying not to be too obvious with her staring at David. Not that she wasn't allowed to stare at him- they had been going on dates after all (mostly to Granny's in the early morning, before they each had work, and a couple of dinners at the diner, and just the other day David had surprised her by taking her to Kisamos Greek Taverna. The town had seen them, knew they were dating, there was no reason for Mary Margaret to try to limit her stares in front of the very nice Dr. Thatcher as he examined the dove she brought in.

And yet, Mary Margaret tried to focus on the bird in question rather than David. At least until the blush that seemed to bloom on her cheeks whenever he was around died down a bit.

"Well," the veterinarian stopped his examination and spoke to Mary Margaret, "The good news is, no broken bones. She was just a little dehydrated, but I got her some fluids, and she should be just fine."

David flashed her a smile and Mary Margaret's cheeks flamed again. The schoolteacher, however, hadn't missed how Dr. Thatcher had phrased his news, and immediately asked, "And the bad news?"

The Doctor gave a grimace, "Well, this is a North Atlantic dove. It's a migratory species, very unique among American doves. Now, they tend to form strong monogamous bonds, meaning," he trialed off.

"If I don't get her back to her flock, she'll be alone forever," Mary Margaret finished, her face clearly showing her sympathetic sorry. David's eyes settled on her completely as he frowned at her distress.

"Well, it's... It's a long shot, but the alternative," he trailed off again and put the dove into a cage, "She'll heal, but she won't be happy here," he told the teacher.

Mary Margaret's spine straightened, her mind made up, feeling an strength of determination she hadn't known was in her, she gave a firm nod to the vet and told him, "I'll take my chances. Thank you, doctor."

The man smiled at her, "You're welcome. Good luck," and with that he left the room, leaving Mary Margaret and David alone with the dove. Mary Margaret picked up the cage and turned to the man she was pretty sure she was already in love with. She felt a sort of sympathy for this bird, no one deserved to be alone forever, and Mary Margaret was not going to let that happen to anyone, person or bird, on her watch. David seemed a little surprised at the determination he saw in the normally timid schoolteacher's eyes, but them smiled, as if a piece of him recognized that piece of her. He straightened himself. Storm be damned, he'd help this woman.

"The storm is coming," he reminded her, "I'll drive," then he hastily added, feeling a bit of his courage leaving, "If you want my help, that is."

Mary Margaret smiled at him, and he felt the courage return. How did she do that? "Of course. The storm is coming tomorrow, and if we wait, she could be lost forever, completely alone. No one deserves that."

"Then we'd better hurry," David easily replied, grabbing his coat.

* * *

David drove carefully in the increasingly bad weather- the wind was gusting and it looked ready to pour any second. He shot a glance over to Mary Margaret, who was sitting beside him with the dove in her lab, murmuring reassurances to it. He couldn't help but wonder if she was really talking to the dove.

"So, I realize you are quite possibly the kindest person I've ever met," he began, determined to get to the source of the problem, "But I can't help feeling there's some other motivation going on here."

Mary Margaret sighed, "It's just...Kathryn," she admitted.

"What about Kathryn?" David asked, wondering what his ex had to do with it.

Mary Margaret looked uncomfortable, "She's alone now and I feel like it's my fault. Our fault, and I just can't help but hope: if we can get this dove where she belongs, maybe Kathryn will find where she belongs, too. It's stupid," she sighed, eyes focused on the bird.

David thought carefully before replying, "First: nothing here is anyone's fault. Kathryn said our marriage was over before I even had my accident, and it is not your fault I love you and it's not my fault-"

Mary Margaret interrupted with a gasp, "You love me?"

David felt his cowardice come up and strangle him. He wanted to deny it, to take it all back. He wasn't ready to risk that she didn't feel the same for him, but the dove began to coo and he felt his courage rise up again. "Yeah," he softly replied. "I think I do."

Mary Margaret grinned, bright and happy, "I love you, too."

David glanced away from the road and took in her happy expression quickly, he smirked, "Well, we've got some timing. Driving in the middle of a storm and we pick now."

Mary Margaret suddenly groaned, "Now I feel guilty again."

David took one hand off the wheel and groped for hers, and when their fingers linked together he found the right words, bubbling out of him as if they were there all along, "Listen, Kathryn will be fine. We are not responsible for her happiness. She and whoever truly loves her is. We are responsible for our happiness, and as long as we don't commit any crimes on our way to that," he joked, before getting serious again, "We're fine. I love you. I've probably loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you, but that memory is a bit fuzzy what with the passing out and all," he grinned, "But I feel like...I've spent my whole life looking for you, and now, I've finally found you. I'm not letting misplaced guilt or anything else get in the way of us being happy."

Mary Margaret's brightest smile made another appearance, "You found me," she said in a hush.

David brought her hand to his mouth for a kiss, "I will always find you," he promised, and it felt like even more.

* * *

Emma and Ada were just paying for their drinks at Granny's counter when the wind suddenly picked up, signaling the real storm wasn't far behind.

Kathryn...whatever her last name was now- rushed into the diner and slammed the door shut behind her, avoiding the gusts. Ada examined David's ex-wife carefully- it had been months since the divorced was finalized, but Mary Margaret and David had started going out on dates, and the whole town knew it. No doubt, so did the ex-wife. And when Ada saw how upset Kathryn looked, she was pretty sure she had.

Emma looked at Ada, and then followed her eyesight to an obviously unhappy Kathryn. The blonde sighed, "I'm going back to the apartment," she informed her sister, "Go...do your thing. Pick up another stray." She waved Ada off and exited the dinner. She certainly didn't want to talk to her father's ex-wife that he was only married to due to a curse. Emma wasn't even sure how to _begin_ a conversation knowing all that.

Ada sighed. She knew Kathryn probably wasn't in love with David. Not really, at least. Heck, Kathryn's alternate self might have some True Love wandering around Storybrooke equally ignorant of why they were so unhappy in life. But the woman was under the impression that her marriage had been dissolved and her ex-husband was moving on and she was alone with the exception of Regina's friendship. And, since Regina was the one who cursed Kathryn in the first place, Ada wasn't sure what the quality of that friendship could be.

Also, she never could manage to look at someone broken-hearted and not feel the compulsion to help.

Sighing, Ada took her to-go coffee and slid into the booth across from Kathryn...whatever her last name was now. It was a fake last name in any case, given by the curse.

"Hi," Ada started out cautiously, not sure how receptive Kathryn would be. "You seem pretty upset and I make it a policy to never leave someone who is upset alone, so," she gave a shrug as if to say _here I am_.

Kathryn sniffled slightly and tried to wipe under her eyes discretely, "Why do you care? Aren't you friends with-," she cut herself off with a flinch.

Ada shrugged again, "I've always been under the impression that you can be friends, or friendly, with as many people as you like. Listen, you're upset, and I hate to think I just left you here feeling miserable when I could potentially do something, or at least try. No matter who I'm friends with, I like to think I'm not cold-hearted enough to leave someone in pain alone."

Kathryn took a deep breath, "Could you answer some questions for me, honestly?" She figured that Ada, being close friends with Miss Swan, who was living with Mary Margaret Blanchard, would know what was going on. Kathryn had the pictures, and maybe it was masochistic, but she wanted to _know_.

Ada nodded, "Honestly, yes. But...I won't...invade anyone's privacy, you know. Any secrets I may know, I'm keeping. That work for you?"

Kathryn figured that was probably the best she would get, and...it was a stance she supposed she could respect. Then a thought occurred to her.

"You won't tell anyone-"

Ada cut her off, "I'm a sort of counselor myself, not like Dr. Hopper but...we'll say it falls under confidentiality terms anyways. I won't even tell anyone I chatted with you at all if you don't want me to."

Kathryn breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't want anyone to know she was asking about the love life of her ex-husband. After all, the divorce had been finalized months ago, and it had been _years_ since they even really were in contact what with the coma and all. Technically, they had probably been separated since...Kathryn was unable to determine how many years since David had left and gotten into an accident. She pulled her mind out of the haze and focused on the red head across from her.

"Were they- before the-"

"Were they together before the divorce was finalized? No," Ada answered succinctly, "And I do know that for a fact, because, while they were definitely attracted to each other, they both agreed that David wasn't ready for a relationship of any kind and Mary Margaret deserved to be more than someone's mistress."

Kathryn tried not to sound bitter as she pulled out the photographs, "Well, then they lied to you, too. Some people will stop at nothing to destroy the happiness of others," She slammed them down before Ada and turned her head to the side, unwilling to watch the redhead sort through the photos of the affair.

"Kathryn...where did you get these?" Ada asked.

"Does it matter?" she couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice this time, "They clearly went behind everyone's backs and-"

"Did nothing," Ada corrected. "Look, I'm not sure if you want to hear this, but I think you should. Look carefully, at this picture," Ada slide one in front of Kathryn and pointed at Mary Margaret, "Do you see how Mary Margaret's eye level isn't focused on David? And do you see the slight blurring around David's coat? More importantly, I can tell you that in the original photograph, it was me standing next to Mary Margaret, not David. I remember this day, because I spilled hot coffee all over Mary Margaret's sweater- you can see the stain. After I did that, we went to the apartment and spent the rest of the day there. This photo was faked. I'm not sure about the other ones but," Ada trailed off.

"Regina gave them to me," Kathryn confessed, not sure if she felt relieved or not. Her marriage, after all, was still over, and it appeared that, while he had not acted on it while married to her, David was attracted to Mary Margaret from the beginning. "She said Sidney had taken them and she had buried them, not willing to let me get involved in a scandal. She protected me."

"I think," Ada knew _exactly_ what she thought, but she couldn't say it to this woman now. It was all about a curse, after all, and Regina was currently Kathryn's one and only friend. So, Ada aimed her suspicions at another person, "Perhaps Sidney went looking for a scandal, couldn't find one, and manufactured one instead. He didn't count on Regina protecting you. So he probably found something else to report on. I know...he's done some illegal things for stories before."

"Henry being born in jail," Kathryn nodded then gasped slightly, "I'm sorry- I know she's your friend."

"She's my sister," Ada corrected, "And she _was_ in jail when Henry was born, but it was a juvie record, and _sealed_. The only way to get it opened without a court order, which no one would give someone unless it was an actual court case, was to do something illegal. Sidney's...not a reliable source."

"So he didn't cheat," Kathryn sighed, "I'm not sure if I feel better or not."

"Listen, this is totally unasked for advice and you can feel free to tell me to go to hell if you want to but, do you really _care_ what David does? It's been years since you guys were actually married, and you thought it ended then. This whole thing with the second try and everything, it was pretty doomed when he didn't remember who you were at all, or who he was. He's literally a different person. And, I'm sure you are too. We all change with time. You divorced. It seems like, really, the papers were just making it official. You guys haven't been together since before his accident. Maybe...instead of focusing on David and what he did or didn't do after coming out of a coma," Ada started forming a plan- she would need Henry's help, but she was sure it was feasible, "Instead of feeling sad or angry, maybe...take some time and appreciate yourself. Focus on you. Has there ever been something you've wanted to do that you put off because you were scared or didn't think it was the right time, or thought you had to because you needed to take your marriage into account as well?"

"Well," Kathryn began hesitantly, "I've always wanted to go to law school, but then we'd have to uproot everything."

"Maybe, since you only have to focus on you now, and what makes you happy: you should start researching some law schools. Maybe take a few online courses?" Ada suggested, not sure if the whole people-can't-leave-Storybrooke thing was still in effect since people could evidently come now.

"God, I was so angry with them both. I can't believe how nasty I was feeling. I mean, I was crying and then Regina said-"

"I'll be the first to admit I'm not a fan of the Mayor. And she's not a fan of me. But, she is your friend," _of sorts_ , "And there's this whole girl code you must hate and loathe your friend's ex thing...Regina's angry enough for both of you, why don't you let her be angry, and you be happy? David's moving on. If you can call starting over completely with no memories moving on," Ada shook herself and got back on point, "Maybe you should consider it too. Do you really want to be with David? Wouldn't you rather be with someone who picks you, no doubts or questions? No one deserves to alone, and if you and David did get back together, I get the feeling you both would still _feel_ alone."

"You're right," Kathryn gave a nod, "I mean- even when he was in the house, after he woke up, it still felt like-."

"He wasn't there at all?"

Kathryn gave a small smile, sniffling one final time and then lifted her chin up, some pride returning to her as she considered Ada's words. "I think I should sign up for some online courses and begin some research into law school."

Ada grinned. Whoever Kathryn really was, she seemed to have a good sense of self-worth, and now with the curse breaking...Kathryn was starting to feel it, "I think that sounds excellent. And you should open yourself up to some love. You might not find it right away, but you deserve it. Remember that."

"I do deserve it," Kathryn whispered, as if having a revelation.

Ada grinned.

* * *

David put the car in park as they came to the barrier on the road where Mary Margaret had found the dove.

He turned to her with a grin, ready to take on the world, "There's always barriers on the path of true love," he promised her as he got out of the car, "We'll get this dove home: for it, for us, for Kathryn. Ok?"

Mary Margaret nodded with a determined fever in her eyes as she exited the truck into the storm, the dove in her arms, "They're waiting for you," she promised it as she pulled her hat down tighter.

* * *

Ada bounded into Mary Margaret's apartment and shut the door behind her, Emma looked up from her seat on the couch.

"Took you long enough," she commented casually, but Ada noticed how Emma relaxed slightly at her return.

Ada grinned, "Where's Mary Margaret?" she asked, careful to use Snow White's cursed name in case she was in the apartment.

"Snow White," Emma told her, emphasis on the word, to show it was safe, "Is somewhere out in the storm. I don't know. Haven't seen her."

Ada eyed Emma, how despite her casual words, looked worried.

"She's fine," the redhead promised her sister, "And she'll be back before it really gets bad. Now, where's the walkie and the book?"

Emma looked confused, "The book's where ever you left it, and the walkie's on my bedside table."

Ada quickly retrieved both and settled next to Emma on the couch.

"What're we doing?" Emma asked warily.

Ada grinned as she picked up the walkie, "This is Gloria, looking for the Reader," Emma rolled her eyes.

"I still don't see how your middle name can be a code name."

"Take it up with your kid," Ada responded.

"Gloria?" Henry's voice came over the walkie, "This is the Reader, what's your status?"

"I'm trying to figure out someone's real name," Ada responded. "Thought I should ask you before hitting the book."

"Who?" even over the walkie, Henry's enthusiasm was unmistakable.

"Kathryn- David's ex-wife."

"Ooh," Henry replied, "Why her?"

"She's pretty sad, Henry, so I want to introduce her to someone who will make her happy. A family member or her True Love, someone. Besides, every person we reunite weakens the curse a little bit more."

"I gotcha, it helps Operation Cobra and it's a good thing to do."

Emma smiled softly at her son's sweetness, motioning Ada to hand over the walkie.

"Yeah, kid, it's a good thing."

"Hey, Emma!" Henry chirped, "You working on this too?"

"Of course," Emma replied, "It's for Operation Cobra."

"Well, I have some ideas- she might be King Midas's daughter, Abigail."

Ada bent over the book as Emma continued to talk to Henry, mostly just asking the occasional question as the boy happily told Emma the story. He pretty much had the book memorized, after all.

He didn't often have someone he could talk to, and talking to Emma? Better than anything.

* * *

"Hear that?" Mary Margaret called out to David when she heard the cooing. "It's the flock!" She rushed ahead to the top of a crest, looking across the ravine before crouching down to get the dove out of the cage. A sudden boom of thunder startled her, and she slipped over the edge, hearing David shout her name even as she grabbed onto a loose root, holding on for dear life.

Thank god, she came with her own personal Prince in tow, David quickly reached over the edge and grabbed onto Mary Margaret's arm, helping her pull herself up and out of the ravine.

"David!" she couldn't help but shout as she reached safety, letting him wrap her up in his arms as she slowly stopped trembling.

"You scared me," he whispered into her short hair as he squeezed her tight.

"I'm alright," she reassured both him and herself, even as more thunder rumbled. They both slowly calmed, and Mary Margaret looked back up to the birdcage. At that moment, the rain began to fall down. Mary Margaret gathered her coat around herself and David helped her back up as they raced to the cage.

"The dove-" she began, but David cut her off.

"It's not safe, come on, we'll keep looking but we'll see if we can't find shelter ourselves too."

They stumbled along, when David shouted, "There!" Mary Margaret looked to where he pointed and saw a small cabin. They both raced to it and, after determining no one was home, David kicked the door down and they let themselves in.

David quickly grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around Mary Margaret, who was still clutching the dove.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, "We couldn't find the flock before the storm."

Mary Margaret sighed, "It's stupid, but I convinced myself if we just found the flock, then everyone and everything would be perfect and no one would have to be unhappy."

David sighed as he sat her down and wrapped his arms around her, "We're not responsible for anyone's happiness other than our own," he repeated, "You can't make someone happy, not really. You can do things that make it easier for them to be happy, little gestures and stuff to show you care, but everyone, ultimately, is the one who decides whether or not their happy in life. This dove, is one dove, it's not a symbol of anyone's happiness. It's a dove. And it is sad, we couldn't get it to it's flock, but we tried. We did everything in our power, and in the end, that's all we could do," he rubbed Mary Margaret's arms, trying to get some warmth into her, "I love you," he reminded her, "And I'm happy, because I love you, and you've made it easier for me to be happy since you love me, too, and that- that is a very good thing. Yes, it's sad we didn't get the dove to it's flock, but we- we found each other, and that's happy. You gotta take the good with the bad."

They sat in silence for a few moments as Mary Margaret tried to absorb that. She struggled- something in her felt responsible for the happiness of everyone around her- David, Emma, Henry, her students, the dove- but she also recognized something in David's words- something that sounded like truth.

"You're right," she finally said, and as if waiting for her words, the storm suddenly came to a halt.

"The rain's stopped," David whispered in awe.

Mary Margaret suddenly jumped up and grabbed the cage once more, "I realize this doesn't affect our happiness or Kathryn's, and that this might be a long shot- but-"

"Let's go look for the flock," David grinned and rose too.

The Prince and Princess, who had forgotten who they were but found each other (yet again) anyways, exited the cabin and looked up to see doves flying over head. They both smiled and together, they opened the cage, releasing the dove inside. Whether or not it would be happy was up to the dove, but they had done their best for it, and they grinned so much it made the kiss they were sharing a bit ridiculous, but perhaps all the more sincere for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was writing this chapter and last chapter and I've realized something: had Regina actually honestly wanted Kathryn happy, she would've set her up with Jim (Frederick's Storybrooke counterpart). Why did she not do that? C'mon, Madame Mayor, give me some reason to like you! *sigh* She's not gonna, is she?
> 
> But I had Ada chat with Kathryn, who is starting to remember some of Abigail's pride and self-assurance, because I just really wanted to give her a friend or friendly advice worth having. Kathryn's treated pretty badly, when all's said and done. And now Ada, Emma, and Henry are going to find some way to set Kathryn up with her True Love. And people are waking up more and more! Yay!
> 
> It is what it is, so why don't you guys drop a review? What do you think of me twisting the timeline around and blending the episodes? Was it obvious and disjointed? Was it flowing pretty well? Are there too many subplots happening? Tell me what you think.


	25. A Castle in Ruins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry's castle is pulled down, and Emma has to resist rising to the bait. Ada meets Rumplestiltskin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! Wow. I'm really getting back into the swing of things with these chapters. Fruit of the Poisonous Tree is an intense episode, with Regina and Henry's castle (which was SO sad!). In fact, it was so intense I didn't even add any other episodes in here, which was a surprise. I tried, but then there were too many plots going on at the same time and I was getting confused just writing it.
> 
> I did, however, bring back Gold. We get to see him chatting with Ada again. Which is always fun. Hope you enjoy!

Emma exited the cruiser as Henry came riding on his bike towards his castle- their special place. Not even Ada came here with them, really. She'd stand off by the car whenever she was near by, leaving the space entirely to mother and son. Emma was thrilled Ada and Henry were so close, but she still got somethings with Henry that were just _their's_.

"Hey, kid," she greeted, but Henry went peddling past her towards the castle without a word. "Good to see you, too," she dryly commented as her son came to a stop near the castle.

"The storm!" he moaned as he saw the damage that had been done, jumping off his bike. Henry loved his castle- he thought it looked just like Snow White and Prince Charming's castle, and not only that: it was his place. Only he went there up until Emma came, and now, it was just his and her's. They didn't share it with anyone else. Henry considered it a symbol for how special he and Emma's relationship was. Sure, he didn't call her mom (to her face, he sometimes thought of it in his head, quietly, as if afraid if he gave it too much thought the Evil Queen would somehow know and find a way to punish them all for it), but Emma _loved_ him, and had always loved him. Ada had told him so, and Henry could see it in how Emma treated him. Henry soaked it all up like a sponge, thrilled with it. Had Emma known what awaited Henry in Storybrooke, he was pretty sure she never would've let him go. She only did because she thought he'd get some great family (one with a dog, probably, and maybe after the curse broke he could get a dog with Emma...she was pretty bad at saying no to things that would make him happy) instead of an Evil Queen and a curse where only he aged.

But now the castle was practically in ruins, and Henry was scared this was some sort of sign of bad things to come.

And everything had been going so well.

"It's okay," Emma comforted him, "We'll fix it. I'll talk to Marco," she reassured him. Henry thought about it for a moment and nodded as Emma cajoled him, "C'mon- how many kids get to say that Geppetto helped build their playground?"

Henry briefly wondered if Geppetto would've built Emma a playground if the curse had never happened, in that alternate world where Regina was defeated before Emma was born and Snow White and Prince Charming never had to give their daughter up. But then Henry realized he never would've been born, so he shook off his thoughts of that lost past.

"We need to hide the book, by the way. Somewhere the Queen doesn't know about. Maybe here. We could bury it."

"What, under the mattress isn't good enough?" Emma asked.

"That's the first place the Evil Queen would look!" Henry scolded her, and Emma figured he was probably right.

"What about with me?"

"That's the second place," Henry pointed out, and Emma sighed but began to think.

"Well, Ada is the one who reads it most besides you- maybe she should hide it somewhere? Or," Emma thought more, "Ada has this one bag she uses sometimes- a big messenger bag. She could keep it in there and carry it around with her?" Emma was sure if she explained Henry's worry to Ada she'd gladly cart the book all over the world, so she felt no issue with giving Henry that option.

Henry thought about it, "That might be best," he murmured.

"So Regina doesn't know about the castle?" Emma asked and Henry shook his head, coming to stand by her and survey the castle from that distance.

"No, this is our secret."

But the secret was out before Henry even really finished speaking as Regina Mills pulled up behind the squad car and exited her own vehicle.

Emma wondered if she had a tracker on the cruiser.

"Henry? Henry!" she yelled, approaching the two, "I've been looking everywhere for you! You know you have a session with Archie this morning," she turned to Emma with an disappointed sigh, "Should have known he was with you. Henry, car! Now," recognizing an order, Henry walked away, "You let him playhere?" Regina's voice was full of derision. Emma felt the need to defend herself. Henry hadn't been on the playground, and the only reason it was so messed up now was due to yesterday's storm.

"The storm hit it pretty hard," she admitted, "But we can fix it."

"Well, can you fix a cracked cranium?" Regina's volume rose, "'Cause that's what you'll have on your hands if one of these boards collapses under his weight. You're not thinking about Henry or his safety," Regina stated, and Emma couldn't help but think the statement was pretty ironic coming from the Mayor, "Just ways around me. Miss Swan, don't let your feelings cloud your judgement, people can get hurt."

"He hasn't gone on the playground since the storm damaged it," Emma defended herself, "He didn't get on it today, just saw the damage, and what's that supposed to mean?"

Regina tossed her hair and looked down at Emma as she replied smoothly, "You're the sheriff now, it's time to be responsible."

With that, she returned to her car, where Henry sat waiting, and drove away.

Emma's jaw flexed with anger, remember all the people Regina had hurt, including herself and Henry, and she automatically reached for her phone and pressed the speed dial.

She needed Ada to talk her off the ledge before she did something desperate.

* * *

"Don't let _my_ feelings cloud _my_ judgement?" Emma ranted to both Ada and Mary Margaret as they ate at Granny's, "That's all Regina ever does."

Mary Margaret shrugged, "She's just upset because you and Henry have a special place and she... she doesn't."

Ada shook her head, "She was actually able to say that you didn't care about Henry's safety? With a straight face?" Emma nodded. Ada scoffed, "That's heavy on the irony, and pretty damn hypocritical besides."

"How'd she find out about the castle in the first place?" Emma asked the room at large.

"She knows everything about this town," Mary Margaret answered, "She's the Mayor." The teacher's phone vibrated and she took a look. Ada peeked over Mary Margaret's shoulder from where she was seated next to her and saw it was a text from David.

"Ooh," she teased, "Prince Charming calls again."

She waited for the inevitable reaction from Mary Margaret: as usual when a reference to their non-cursed selves were made, the brunette looked as if she was trying to remember and then came back to the present with a small shake of her head. Ada and Emma planned to keep dropping hints to see if maybe, just maybe, one would break through. Henry approved of the plan, at least, and had great fun in coming up with bizarre ways to throw in fairytale references.

"I need to go," Mary Margaret gestured with her phone, letting the sisters know who she was off to see, "But I can be late if you need me to," she reassured Emma, who shook her head.

"Go," Emma sighed, "Enjoy yourselves. What are you doing today anyways?"

Mary Margaret gave a bashful smile, "Well, we're just going to take a walk in the woods, maybe get lunch at Fort Fish and Chips or Jim's Pizza. We'll see where we go from there. Nothing's really planned." She gathered her things together quickly, obviously eager to see David, and then stood. She turned back to Emma before leaving, though, to add one more thing, "Look, if it makes you feel any better, I think you're right. I see the effect she has on Henry."

"And everyone else does, too," Ada added, nodding significantly.

Emma sighed, "I wish we could really show what she's like though. The full truth." Mary Margaret patted Emma on the arm as she left with a sympathetic smile.

Then, out of seemingly nowhere, Sidney Glass slid into the booth next to Ada, who looked at him with a raised eyebrow, clearly unhappy with his presence. Not the least because he was so obviously drunk.

"I can grant your wish," he told Emma, not noticing Ada's warning glares.

Emma sighed, "Oh, Sidney, you want a side of bacon with that whiskey?"

"Or maybe no whiskey this time of the _morning_?" Ada added.

Sidney ignored both comments, "You wanna show this town who the Mayor _really_ is? I can help."

Emma and Ada exchanged glances. They didn't know who Sidney really was, or what his motivations were. Or even if Regina had his heart stashed away somewhere.

"It's gonna be kinda hard to do from inside her pocket," Emma pointed out, wanting to be careful with how she played this game.

"The Mayor and I are done."

Ada snorted as Emma chuckled, "Sure you are."

Sidney insisted, "She got me fired from the paper. She made a fool of me in the election. So I started working on an expose' on the Mayor's Office, and I found something she didn't want found."

Ada sighed, "I seem to recall Regina making a fool of _herself_ in the election. You were just her puppet."

"Sidney, you're drunk. Go home, sleep it off. Be grateful that you don't have to answer to her anymore," Emma advised, wanting to get rid of the washed up reporter.

Sidney whipped out a card and offered it to Emma, "Call me. Storybrooke deserves to know the truth about her," he averred.

Emma sighed and took the card, watching Sidney leave Granny's, stumbling.

"Okay, even with everything else going on: do you really want the help of a drunk?" Ada interrupted Emma's thoughts.

"He could be waking up, ready to rebel, this could be something else that weakens the curse," Emma suggested.

"Or," Ada countered, "He could be just as much in her pocket as ever and not even realize it. We don't know."

Emma sighed, obviously conflicted, and then turned her gaze onto Ada who slowly put down her coffee cup as she saw her sister's expression.

"What?" she asked suspiciously.

"There's one way to do some research," Emma implied.

Ada sighed, "Fine." She picked up her fork and continued eating, before noticing Emma's incredulous glance, "What? I'm not going _now_. No way I'm dealing with Gold on an empty stomach. Let me finish my breakfast."

* * *

Ada hadn't been to see Gold since she had figured out he was Rumplestiltskin. It was one thing to read about a character in a book and appreciate his cleverness while bemoaning his darkness. It was another thing to know that character was actually very much real and walking around the town where you lived. And it was still yet another thing to know you had talked with that character, that he had taught you chess, that you had admired the brain behind him.

Ada took a deep breath and reminded herself that not only was this Gold, who she had known as a cut throat lawyer with his finger in every pie in town, but this was also Rumplestiltskin, master manipulator who was hundreds of years old and known as "the Dark One."

She needed more than her A game, she needed an Ivy League School A game. But Rumplestiltskin wanted this curse broken, for one reason or another, and doing that involved having Emma defeat Regina, so for now, their purposes were united. Their motivations were not.

The bell chimed as she entered the pawnshop, her eyes absorbing the items around her anew. Those puppets- were those Gepetto's parents that Jiminy Cricket had inadvertently poisoned when he was first human? That mobile- was that a part of Emma's nursery that she had never gotten the chance to use?

"Hello, dearie," That pawnbroker- was that really a scaled imp cursed with a dagger to bear his name? "Been quite a while since I last saw you. Have you been keeping away?"

Yes, yes it really was.

"Well, I've been busy setting things up; we're in crunch time."

"And why do you say that?"

"Because strangers can now enter Storybrooke."

Rumplestiltskin- and it was unmistakably Rumplestiltskin, not Robert Gold, looked up at Ada sharply at that.

"Cutting right to the chase, are we?"

Ada shrugged casually, trying to keep her head straight as she slowly took a seat at the table with the chess board. Rumplestiltskin came to sit across from her, lowering himself slowly into the chair as he accommodated his bad leg. "I know the curse is real," she began, "I know you're Rumplestiltskin, and I know you remember _exactly_ who you are, unlike everyone else in town. Except for Regina. I'm betting she's always remembered, but I think you only woke up when Emma first said her name to you. You created the curse, and whatever it is you're trying to accomplish with it, you can't do that without remembering, so you set it up that Emma's name would be a trigger to bring back your memories. _That's_ why you bargained for it with Snow White all those years ago."

She moved one pawn forward two spaces.

"Your move."

* * *

Emma, having received a panicked call from Henry on the walkie, pulled up quickly to the location of their castle. Spotting Henry right away, she rushed forward, feeling panicked.

"Hey. What happened? I came as soon as I could," she looked across towards the castle and saw why Henry had called her- a crew was tearing it down as Regina watched from the sidelines.

Emma was sure she was _very_ pleased with herself right then.

"The castle—she's tearing the whole thing down!" Henry was obviously distraught- that wasn't just his special meeting place with Emma, it was also his one safe place. His house was under the thumb of Regina, school was filled with people who wouldn't remember they had been in the same grade for twenty eight years and that Henry was the only one aging, the town was filled with Regina's puppets, and almost everyone was too intimated by Regina to even talk to Henry. The castle was safe: a place where Henry didn't have to think about unaging Storybrooke citizens, didn't have to pretend he was fine, didn't have to watch as Regina lied to his face and didn't have to know that the woman who raised him had killed hundreds and enslaved everyone in the town. He didn't have to face the woman who he called "mom" cast a very very dark curse because she blamed Snow White for a death her own mother had caused.

Henry was ten, just like Snow White had been, what if his mom blamed him for something that wasn't his fault, too?

The castle was safe. Now it was gone.

Emma looked at Henry's face, saw how close he was to tears, knew exactly what all of this meant to Henry, and her eyes settled on Regina, surveying the scene with a pleased look. Emma suddenly felt her heartbeat in her ears, and her hands clenched as she walked towards the Mayor.

"Congratulations, Madam Mayor" she sarcastically threw at the woman before her, "You destroyed the thing he loved."

Regina was cool under fire, and dismissed Emma's accusation easily, "A dangerous thing that can only hurt Henry and others. You see me as a villain, Miss Swan. But that's just your perception, and you're wrong. Learn your place in this town, or soon enough, you won't be in it," and with that threat, Regina walked away, leaving Emma with anger she couldn't direct, and Henry full of heartbreak.

Unwilling to stand back and do nothing, Emma pulled a card out of her pocket. She needed to do _something_ and right now there was only one productive thing she could try. She knew Ada wouldn't approve of jumping in without thinking, but Emma wasn't feeling very logical at the moment.

She dialed.

"Sidney, hi. I'm in. I want everyone to know who she really is."

* * *

Gold moved his Queen as he examined his opponent carefully, "So is your beloved sister aware she's currently residing with her long-lost mother?"

Ada carefully considered the board before her as she answered nonchalantly, "Yes. Though, that's not really our most pressing concern at the moment."

"It's not?" Gold questioned even as he waited for Miss Ward to make her move, "Well, then, I wonder what could possible take precedence over the search for Miss Swan's parents finally ending. And with such happy results."

"Happy results?" Ada questioned, her eyes sharpening on Rumplestiltskin's face.

"Of course, dearie," he waved a hand, "Everyone's alive and of good character. The separation has a very acceptable reason- it was life or death. All in all, I'd say a very happy result. And what little girl doesn't want her long-lost parents to be royalty?"

Ada took a deep breath and refocused on the board even as Gold regained his train of thought.

"Now, what's so very pressing Miss Swan isn't focusing on her parentage?"

"Her son," Ada answers calmly, "Now that we know strangers can enter Storybrooke, we're putting some things in motion for a custody battle. I've contacted some lawyer friends of mine, and they're sending a social worker they work with to check things out here any day now. And then there's Sidney."

"Oh?" Rumple questioned as Ada finally went to move one of her Bishops. "And what is that noisome reporter up to now? Another smear campaign? Perhaps on Miss Swan's cocoa addiction?"

"He's offered to help us. Expose Regina. Claims that he's done with her, even. Apparently, if Sidney's to be believed, Regina's used him one too many times. Emma thinks he's waking up and ready to rebel."

"And what's your take on the situation?" Rumple moved a pawn carefully and Ada's eyes immediately focused on it.

"I think we can't be too sure of anything," she responded evenly.

Gold mused to himself a moment before adding, "I'd be careful around Mr. Glass, his company does not reflect well on those that keep it."

Ada didn't miss the hints, and stood up, "Perhaps we could continue this game another time. I've got some things I have to do."

Rumple smirked, "Would you like to reset the board for next time or keep playing?"

"Let's keep playing. I think I can win this game."

* * *

Mary Margaret grinned as she and David turned a corner in the woods on their favorite trail. "You're in a rush," she commented lightly, noticing how David had been walking a bit faster than their usual stroll.

He returned the smile, "Well, I was worried the wine would get warm," he gestured forward and Mary Margaret entered a clearing where David had set up a picnic.

She laughed, "I thought we were getting lunch in town," she turned to look at him, and he sheepishly brought a hand up to rub the back of his neck even as he grinned.

"Well, I thought this might be a little more romantic, since I wanted to ask you something."

"Oh?" Mary Margaret grinned as he lead her over to the blanket and helped her sit.

"What are you doing Valentine's Day?"

* * *

Emma pulled the cruiser into a tunnel and walked out. Sidney met her in the middle and Emma suddenly got a chill up her spine.

It seemed like a scene out of a bad detective movie. Like she was meeting with a crappy version of Deep Throat.

Which, she guessed, she was.

"Alright," she said, crossing her arms. "I'm listening. So, what do you know about her?"

"$50,000," Sidney announced.

 **"** I'm sorry?" Emma sputtered, thinking he was going to ask her for the money.

"Fifty grand out of the budget is missing, and Regina is responsible," Sidney explained.

"That's it? That's what you have on her?" Emma asked, unable to believe that was all.

"The money is just the tip of the iceberg," Sidney assured her, "We figure out what she's doing, and it all falls apart. It all crumbles, and we'll finally learn her secrets. You see what she is. I see it. All we need is a crack in the mirror to show _everyone_. I'm telling you, this is it."

Emma began to wonder who Sidney was in fairytale land, not for the first time. She'd feel easier about trusting him if she could guess at his motivations. "All right, what's your plan?" she took the plunge.

"Tap her phone. GPS her car. Hack into her email, dip into your bail bondsperson bag of tricks," Sidney immediately suggested.

"No," Emma shot him down. "I'm Sheriff now, I have to be responsible. I wanna do this by the book." She remembered the Sheriff election and the lesson she had learned there.

"She's gonna know that you're on to her sooner than later. Are you prepared for her wrath?" Sidney pushed.

"Oh yeah," Emma affirmed. She was ready for anything the Evil Queen could throw at her. In this land, they all may be cursed, but Emma was the freaking Savior, and Regina didn't have her magic.

"Good. Because I wasn't."

Emma's eyes narrowed as she examined the drunken coward before her, "If you thought she was so terrifying... how did you allow yourself to end up in her pocket?"

Sidney turned slightly wistful, "I used to think she was a different person."

* * *

Ada turned through the pages of the book yet again. _Glass; reflect; he's a pawn._

She stopped at one illustration of a Genie trapped into a mirror as the Evil Queen smirked at the wish gone wrong, having accomplished manipulating the foolish Genie into killing the kind King Leopold.

Snow's father.

Emma's grandfather.

Ada took a deep breath. The Genie, the Mirror, whatever you wanted to call him, he was at Regina's command, twistedly in love with her for all that she used and abused him.

Ada didn't think teaming up with Sidney was going to ultimately work for Emma. The Mirror, after all, was owned by the Queen. And, ultimately, trapped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I freaking love how when I write Ada and Gold together I can make literally every thing that comes out of both their mouths into a sort of code and then sometimes Ada just will come straight out with what she wants to say then revert back to being cryptic. It's so much fun.
> 
> And watching this episode makes me mad at Regina all over again. Like, really, you're so upset your son has a special place with someone that's not you that you LITERALLY tear it down? Wow. Low blow, Miss Mills. Not to mention much more hurtful to Henry then Emma ultimately (yet again). And with her accusing Emma of not actually caring about Henry in the same episode when she does it, I'm left shaking my head at the irony.
> 
> But we have another stranger coming to Storybrooke! A social worker. Huh. I'm not entirely aware of the proceedings for a custody battle, but I'm pretty sure contacting a lawyer is the first step, and a social worker has to check things out at one point. So for those of you familiar with the process: please forgive any inaccuracies I may write. I only really have the vaguest idea of what a custody battle entails. And it's made even more complicated by the fact that Henry was a closed adoption. Not sure how that'll affect everything.
> 
> We'll see.
> 
> Either way, hope you enjoyed the chapter, please drop a review!


	26. Parental Approval

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma plays double agent while Ada plays the long game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fruit of the Poisonous Tree is taking me forever to write. Well, at least compared to 7:15 AM. I don't mean "forever" as in I'm struggling and it's taking a lot of time, I mean "forever" as in this is going to be quite a few chapters before we move on to another episode. These characters just get so wordy sometimes. And they think. A lot. I blame Gold. Whenever I add him into a story everyone's thought processes seem to double in length. What's up with that? Plus it probably doesn't help I insist on him and Ada talking in code and using the chess board all the time. They take half a page to say something that could be directly stated in a few sentences. Henry also thinks a lot. Emma by far is the most direct and concise.
> 
> Either way, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter. I'm already a few ahead and things are looking tense. Not the least because a social worker is going to show up and start asking questions. And now that the citizens are really waking up... well, you'll see.

Ada sighed as she looked around the apartment she was considering renting. It was owned by Gold, of course, but he cut her a deal on the rent (presumably to have her do him a favor later) and it was nice enough. It was only a few blocks from the center of town and Ada could see herself living here.

Of course, it would be the first apartment she'd own in... _years_ without having Emma as a roommate.

But Emma was living with her mother. Her actual _mother_ and Ada had forced herself to insist to Emma to stay where she was. Besides, she had said, someone needed to keep an eye on the cursed Snow White until she regained her memories completely, and it was easiest for someone living with her to do that.

"I like it," Henry chirped from where he stood in the middle of what would be Ada's kitchen.

"Yeah?" Ada smirked as she watched Henry survey the place. The boy solemnly nodded, having taken Ada's request to help her pick an apartment very seriously. Emma and Ada both smiled as he continued to move through the space, clearly not knowing what he was supposed to look for, but checking everything out just the same.

"So Sidney's the Magic Mirror?" Emma asked as she began to check the closet space while Henry began opening the kitchen cabinets.

Ada nodded, still loitering in the middle of the apartment, watching Emma and Henry move simultaneously to look around. She was amused how they both mirrored each other without realizing it. "Looks like it," she told them both.

"I don't think we can trust him, then," Henry chimed in, "He's pretty much the Queen's pet. He always does whatever she asks him to do."

"Couldn't he be rebelling now he's waking up?" Emma asked, nervous since she hadn't yet confessed to having already called Sidney yet.

Henry shook his head seriously as he stood on his tip toes to reach an upper cabinet. Emma opened it for him without thinking and Ada smirked at the two. "He won't rebel now. He wasn't rebelling when he _was_ in the Enchanted Forest, so he won't rebel now that the town's waking up. Maybe after the curse is broken, but not before."

Emma bit her lip and Ada noticed.

"Emma," she drawled, waiting for Emma to spit out whatever it was.

"I called him," Emma confessed in a breath.

"What?" Ada shouted as Henry just sighed and shook his head, acting much older than his ten years.

Emma shrugged, "I got so angry when she took down the castle I just-"

"Lost all forethought?" Ada sarcastically asked. "God, Emma. Ugh."

"Maybe we can use it," Henry chimed in.

"How you think?" Emma asked him.

Henry shrugged, "In the spy movies, when they know that someone is a double agent they use the double agent to tell the enemy the wrong information."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "You might have an idea there, kid."

Ada sighed, "Well, we certainly can't take any information Sidney gives us as truthful. We know whatever he tells us is going to be what Regina wants him to say, so we have to...do the opposite of what we would've done?"

Ada looked over at the hooks next to the door and bounced slightly on her toes to make sure she could actually reach them. She'd have to jump a little from the look of things.

"I figured out where Princess Abigail's True Love is!" Henry announced, trying to brighten the atmosphere. He succeeded as both women smiled at him and he grinned proudly, "He's the gym teacher at school: Jim."

"Well," Ada thoughtfully began, "We'll have to do some recon on Jim; find a way we can get him and Kathryn to bump into each other."

"He goes to Jim's Pizza every Friday night," Henry quickly informed them.

"And how'd you learn that?" Emma asked, her eyebrows raised.

Henry shrugged casually, "I asked him."

"Now how do we get Kathryn, who seems a pretty fussy eater, to go to Jim's Pizza on a Friday night?" Ada wondered out loud.

"You guys'll come up with something," Henry assured them. "So," he abruptly changed the subject the way children do, "Are you going to get the apartment?"

Ada smirked, "You like it?" she asked Henry, who nodded, "Then I guess I should ask Gold for the paperwork."

"Yes!" Henry cheered, pumping his fist in the air, "This is so cool! Now you'll be _actually_ living here instead of just staying at Granny's!"

Ada just grinned as she opened the door for them all to exit.

* * *

Sarah Monday was a consummate professional when it came to her job. After all, when dealing with potential abuse and children in general, it was always important to make sure the i's were dotted and the t's were crossed. She had a reputation for being very good at what she did and for having a good instinct of where to go looking. And she was notorious for doing her research. She had been asked by a friend of hers, a lawyer named Bill Knightley, to look into a case a friend of his had requested he look into. A potential custody battle between birth mother and adoptive mother. There were, apparently, some concerns over emotional abuse.

The first thing Sarah Monday did was not investigate the birth or adoptive mothers or the child. She investigated Bill's friend- a Miss Ada Ward.

So far what Sarah found had all pointed towards Miss Ward being rather similar to herself: a consummate professional at her job, highly successful and good at what she did. No one in the child advocacy business that Sarah had contacted had anything but good things to say about Miss Ward. Sarah next called some of Miss Ward's old cases and, again, no one had anything negative to say about Miss Ward. She did what she had to and sometimes stepped on toes when necessary, but ultimately got her job done and her paperwork handed in. Miss Ward was also an orphan herself, never adopted, but passed along from foster home to foster home. Sarah figured that would be enough experience to quickly size up most home situations, and probably is what granted the woman her legendary instinct. Sarah's own instinct came from her parents having been foster parents after Sarah reached school age. She grew up in a foster home; she'd had many foster siblings who were jaded and bitter towards the system with its many flaws. Sarah had grown up wanting to help and chose a career that enabled her to do just that.

If Miss Ward was concerned about potential emotional abuse, she'd be worth listening to, even with her own personal involvement in the case.

The next research subject was Miss Swan, who was Miss Ward's friend and the birth mother of the child in question. She'd had a rough start, no doubt- abandoned as a baby, she was adopted but returned when she was just three years old when her adoptive parents managed to get pregnant (and Sarah couldn't help the scowl that crossed her face at that information- she didn't think much of Miss Swan's ex-adoptive parents for that move), and then bounced from foster home to foster home until she ran away completely at seventeen (her final and only successful attempt at getting out of the system). She had a juvie record, though it was sealed, but Sarah didn't see any particular warning signals since, by all accounts, Miss Swan had straightened up after giving up her baby at 18. She'd gotten jobs where ever she could and finally succeeded in finding a career as a bailbondsperson, Miss Swan certainly moved around a lot, but had lived with the same person for the past seven, almost eight, years. Miss Swan had asked for a closed adoption when she gave up her son, but had abided by the rules and did not contact him. Miss Swan's employer said she was good at her job, and ultimately "a good egg."

All in all, Miss Swan didn't seem to be a perfect individual, but Sarah didn't see anything strictly wrong with her. Especially considering that since her son had contacted _her_ , she had moved to his hometown, settled down with another respectable job and had succeeded in winning a Sheriff's election.

Sarah organized her notes on Miss Swan and then reached for a fresh sheet of paper. Next was to research the adoptive mother.

* * *

Emma looked carefully at the boxes of documents Sidney had brought to her apartment. She was cautious now, on alert from Ada and Henry's warnings, and resolved to not overplay her hand.

"When did that transfer go through?" she asked Sidney, "Does three weeks ago sound right?"

He thought for a moment before replying, "Yeah. Why?"

"Because those records are missing."

Mary Margaret entered the apartment then, "Emma, there's something I'd like to talk to you-" she stopped when she noticed Sidney in her kitchen, "Hi, Sidney."

"Hey," Emma greeted her mother, trying not to stare at her too much. She suddenly realized she had inherited her mother's chin. "We're just doing some work. I think we may have found something on Regina." Emma was at a loss of how to interact with Mary Margaret, knowing what she did. On the one hand, this was her mother, on the other hand, it wasn't- she was Mary Margaret, not Snow White. This was a curse's version of her mother, and a woman who was her own age, who didn't remember her husband or her daughter. Emma was at more than a loss.

"Interesting work. Oh, I approve," the brunette commented, moving towards the kitchen proper to get a drink.

"You wanna go by the book? Let's get a warrant," Sidney suggested.

Emma immediately countered, "What judge are we gonna find that she doesn't own. We're screwed," she sighed.

"Or... there's my way," Sidney implied. Emma heard Henry's voice: _I don't think we can trust him._ and then Ada's: _We certainly can't take any information Sidney gives us as truthful_. _Do the opposite._

Emma shook her head, "I wanna do this right, Sidney."

He continued to press, "And what's right is exposing her. Sometimes, doing a bad thing for a good reason is okay, right?"

Mary Margaret frowned at that, and chimed in, "But you're still doing a bad thing. You have to find the right way, there's always one. Even if at first you don't see it."

Emma nodded, "I've learned my lesson from that election- the only way to win is to win right. Do the right thing for the right reason. Mary Margaret's right- there's got to be a way."

Sidney sighed. "But look what she's done to you, to me, to your son, and it's not gonna stop so whatever you do, you gotta do something."

Emma shook her head firmly, "We do it right or not at all. There's no rationalizing this, Sidney. I don't want to do something wrong in Henry's name, either."

Mary Margaret gave Emma a smile of approval, and Emma felt her heart lighten and squeeze at the same time.

_Her mother approved._

* * *

Sarah Monday was getting very concerned. Initially, a surface check of Regina Mills showed her to be everything she should be: a successful Mayor of her hometown, invested in both restoring and modernizing her sleepy old Maine town, money in the bank, a good credit score. But digging deeper got tricky.

Miss Mills' adoption process was...fishy. There was no record of her being on any waiting list. She suddenly appeared at the top one day. There was no sign of a home visit, despite the records saying there was one. Sarah couldn't find a single person who had ever been to Storybrooke, let alone a record of who gave the home visit. Furthermore, Henry was not adopted in accordance to Arizona state laws, where he was born.

Things were starting to stink, and Sarah Monday hadn't even left the office yet.

* * *

Emma was getting frustrated.

"I don't know what to do," she told Ada as they sat in the Sheriff's station, "She owns everyone in town!"

"Not...everyone," Ada cautiously replied.

Emma raised a brow. "You thinking of going to Gold?"

Ada shrugged, "If he can't help us, he'll get someone else to do it."

"How, though?" Emma replied.

"Honestly, I'm not sure we want to know."

"No," Emma shook her head, "After how he played me during the election, no."

"Emma," Ada sighed, "We aren't just dealing with this world's laws, we're dealing with a curse here."

"We have to do things the right way or not at all," Emma insisted.

"Then leave Gold to me," Ada replied, "I'll see what I can do. Legally."

Emma sighed, "You'll get out if it goes even a little shady?"

"Cross my heart."

* * *

Gold sighed as Ada captured his pawn, and began to examine the board again, "So you're looking for a judge or someone out of Regina's control?"

"Yes," Ada replied as he settled on moving his King, and Ada raised an eyebrow at the move.

"There's no one aside from myself, of course, and yourself and Miss Swan who are out of Regina's control. Everyone else is cursed, and some are missing their hearts, and some, like Master Henry, are trapped under her thumb even as they struggle to get out.

"Interestingly," he added as Ada allowed her fingers to flutter over her pieces, never touching them, as she examined the board, "Miss Mills is planning on meeting with me this evening for an...exchange."

"A legal exchange?" Ada asked, waiting for the answer before she moved a piece.

Gold shrugged, "Buying some land from me; oddly enough, she had originally planned to meet me in the woods, and has now delayed the meeting indefinitely. It's almost as if she's waiting to see if someone else can...join along."

Ada nodded, "Buying land? I wonder what for. Regina never does anything without a purpose."

"I believe she has some development plans for it. But those won't interest you," Gold waved them off.

Ada moved a Knight, "And what _does_ interest me?"

"I've heard rumors...tell of a set of keys the Mayor has. Skeleton keys that open every door in Storybrooke. I think perhaps you should ensure you invest in some good locks. You'll notice the apartment you now rent came with a good, solid deadbolt."

Gold moved his Queen to capture Ada's pawn. "Worth considering, dearie."

Ada moved her Bishop out of harm's way. "And your thoughts on the long-distance threat?"

Gold smirked, "Keep playing the long game, dearie, it'll come out better for you in the end. Sometimes a move," and he pushed forward his pawn, "Is really just a red hearing while the other hand sets up the real game."

* * *

Emma was driving into the woods of Storybrooke, trying to quiet the noise in her own head. Normally, she'd head to the docks to think, but she didn't want Ada to find her and force her to talk it out.

Not yet, at least.

She came up on a turn and began to apply the brakes, then felt some panic. Slamming the brakes down, she realized something was horribly wrong.

She wasn't stopping. Or slowing.

In the slightest.

The car crashed into a road sign, sending it flying and came to a halt. Emma took a deep breath, looking around and assessing herself. Shaken, she stepped out of the vehicle.

Looking at the destroyed sign, Emma felt a sense of deja vu and then could've sworn she heard: _That's good news for our tourist business, bad news for our local signage. It's- it's a joke- because you ran over our sign…._

"Emma?" a voice called and Emma jumped, feeling a ghost flee the scene as she turned and saw Sidney approaching her from his own vehicle. For a moment she had thought...but no. The voice, the accent, the tone, it was all wrong.

She shook herself again.

"I've been looking for you. I got a tip from an old source," he trailed off as he saw her car. "But I can see I'm too late to give a warning."

"A warning?" Emma asked, incredulous.

"I heard that the Mayor had been at Marine Garage, asking about brakes. Normally she's not one for car repair, so I put two and two together."

Emma bent to examine the car, and, sure enough, the brakes had been cut.

"The bitch tried to have me killed," she shouted, shaking with adrenaline.

"She must've heard we pulled the files, must've figured we'd see the transaction."

Emma was about to go storming off after Regina when she remembered the ghost who she had just sworn she heard.

She had been hotheaded with Regina once, and it had cost more than she was willing to pay.

Emma took a deep breath and released it. She had to play this right. She remembered Henry's words about double agents.

"You're right, Sidney, we can't play this straight. We have to get on her level."

Emma wasn't so distracted that she didn't notice Sidney's smirk at her words.

* * *

Rumplestiltskin smirked down at the chess board. The game he and Miss Ward were playing was still upon it, the pieces left in their positions for when they chose to resume the game. Miss Ward had gone off to find her sister and Rumple was resting on his laurels.

Oh, he knew the game Regina was playing very well. After all, he taught it to her. But the student had yet to come close to surpassing the teacher, and Rumplestiltskin prided himself on being more than a teacher: he was a master.

Miss Ward was pretty good at the game herself. She exhibited more finesse than Regina, at least, and she was much more likely to keep her head in the heat of the moment.

Both were qualities Rumplestiltskin admired.

And he was thrilled she had figured it all out. He was able to be Rumplestiltskin in her presence- he called her dearie, waved his hands about, and earlier in the day he had let loose his signature giggle. The fact that Miss Ward seemed to have been a bit chilled by it (before she quickly neutralized her facial expression and body language) only made it better.

The game was fast-paced now, but Rumplestiltskin had been playing this game a very long time, and had been planning this match for almost just as long.

He idly observed the pieces. Hmm...what would Miss Ward be? Definitely not a pawn. Something more subtle than the Queen...perhaps a Rook. In pairs, more powerful than the Queen, and used to best advantage in the center of the board- in the middle of everything.

* * *

Ada nervously fiddled with the hem of her skirt as she listened to Emma.

"So what's your plan then?" she asked finally.

"Henry's double agent strategy," Emma shrugged, pacing off the adrenaline still in her system. "What do you think?"

"We need to keep going with the long-distance threat," Ada muttered, and, at Emma's look, clarified, "Keep pushing forward with the custody battle. Be careful how you go with things, I'm expecting the social worker to show up unannounced at any day."

Emma blew out a breath, "And that's a good thing?"

Ada nodded, "I asked Bill to help us, and he asked Sarah Monday. He says she's good. Very good. That means she'll pick up on the stuff we did, and that'll help us. She'll also probably interview Archie, which'll look good for us. You just need to keep your nose clean."

Emma snorted, "That's the plan."

"Good," Ada replied, "And do not forget the plan. Don't let her goad you into anything. I know how you get."

Emma looked about to object until Ada raised a single eyebrow, then the blonde went quiet. She threw herself on the couch beside Ada, the energy gone as Emma suddenly felt exhausted.

"Adrenaline wear off?" Ada asked sympathetically. Emma nodded, "Better head to bed then before you doze off right here. By the way, did you get Tillman to look at your breaks?"

Emma nodded as she slowly pulled herself up off the couch.

"Good, if we can throw suspicion on Regina for that, it'll only make our case better. And he'll be honest for us, what with Hansel and Gretel."

* * *

Henry sighed as he finished helping Ada move the last of her stuff into the apartment.

"Henry?" the redhead immediately asked when she noticed his expression.

"Are you sure the book will be safe here?" he asked her as he placed it carefully on the coffee table.

Ada nodded and gestured to her door, "Rumplestiltskin told me Regina has keys that open all the locks in town, but I have the deadbolt, and Emma's getting one too so we should be secure."

Henry still looked worried so Ada flopped on the couch and patted the cushion beside her. "C'mon, tell me what's really the matter."

"I miss my castle," Henry confessed, "It was just my and Emma's place, and now...she found out about it and tore it down."

Ada wrapped an arm around Henry and pulled him to her, "Hey, I know you miss your castle. I know it was your safe space and something you shared with Emma, just the two of you. But think about this: we're breaking the curse, soon, you'll be living somewhere safe all the time." Ada thought for a moment and then began again, "Can I tell you something? You have to make sure to keep it secret, because we really don't want Regina to find out." Henry nodded, "Emma's started getting ready for a custody battle," Ada confessed, "She had me call up a lawyer I know from outside of town, and he's sending in a social worker to poke around a bit. She'll see how things are and she'll talk to Archie and everyone in town. They're waking up; they know Regina's no good, so it'll help us. Hopefully soon either the curse will break or Emma will get the lawyers to get you living with Emma."

"Really?" Henry practically breathed the word.

Ada nodded, "Yeah. Listen, Henry, I want you to know something. The way Regina treats you...isn't right. She's supposed to put you first but she puts herself first instead. She's not supposed to make you feel alone or leave you alone all the time. She's supposed to have your best interests at heart. I don't think she does. And that's not your fault, Henry. She's a very messed up person because of a lot of things, and none of them are your fault. You're a wonderful kid, and you deserve the very best. She does love you, in her own way, I'm sure. She's just...not very good at loving."

Henry thought about that for a moment, resting his head on Ada's shoulder as his brow scrunched in thought. "She's hurt a lot of people," he mused, "I mean, I know, I read the book. And Snow White was ten when she messed up and my mom, she...did all this horrible stuff because she wouldn't forgive. I'm sometimes worried she'll do that with me."

"Listen, I read the story too, and Daniel's death wasn't Snow's fault either. It was Cora's. Snow might've told a secret, but she was ten, and she didn't really know what was happening, and Cora was a pretty masterful manipulator," Ada sighed, "I know you're scared sometimes, Henry, and that's okay. I'm scared, too. And so's Emma. But we're going to do what we can and fight for the good and I think you know what happens when you have hope and fight for what's right."

Henry grinned, "You get Happily Ever After."

Ada returned the smile, "That's right."

* * *

Sarah Monday sighed as she finished entering her notes into her computer and saved them. She'd have to make a trip. Soon. Storybrooke, Maine- it sounded charming, but Sarah wasn't sure it would actually live up to its name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's that. Drop a review on your way out, guys- did you like Rumple and Ada? Henry and Ada there? What do you think of my new character Sarah? She's only temporary, but I'm trying to make her dimensional even so. How are you liking the story? What do you think of Henry's double agent plan for Emma? The Graham references? I had to add him- Emma destroyed another sign, I couldn't not bring up Graham.
> 
> I'm just amused by my chapter title. It's got a double meaning- did any of you guess it? It's a little subtle, I suppose. Part of it is Emma seeking approval both from her parent and from Henry as a parent (her insistence on doing this right or Henry will be disappointed), and part of it is Sarah Monday beginning the process of approving either Regina or Emma to be a parent.
> 
> What do you think?


	27. Surveillance and Set Ups

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kathryn finds her True Love. Emma finds bugs. Someone new arrives in town to find some answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fruit of the Poisonous Tree...pretty much done with this chapter.
> 
> And in other exciting news: I also remembered that there's the letters from the Untold Stories app so I'm gonna work those in! Yay! Not all the letters, probably just Graham's letter and Henry's. Have you guys read those? They make me sad. So of course I'm going to use them to make you feel sad, now.
> 
> I feel like Gold, putting all the pieces on the chess board in the order I want them as I wait for the perfect opportunity to go in for the kill. Or, in this case, the drama. Lots of set-up is going on and Gold has a little surprise for us all at the end of this chapter. Hope you enjoy!

Regina smirked in her office, pleased with the report Sidney was giving. Initially, Miss Swan had been stubbornly noble. Rather like her parents, but desperation had won out and she listened with glee as Sidney played his recording for her.

"You're right Sidney," Miss Swan's voice came clearly over the tiny speaker, "We can't play this straight. We have to get on her level."

Regina leaned back in her chair as Sidney turned the recording off, and grinned, "Mhm. She bought it."

"It was tough for her to swallow," Sidney concurred, "But she did."

"Masterful job, Sidney," Regina praised, "Top to bottom," she offered him an apple with a smug smile, "And cutting the brakes of her car? Inspired."

"I'm glad you approve," Sidney preened.

"Now, she trusts you," Regina mused, "Now we can have some fun."

"Everything she does. Everywhere she goes. You'll know about it."

Regina smiled and looked carefully at her Mirror, "I don't know what I'd do without you, Sidney."

* * *

Emma clicked off the radio as she heard Regina praise Sidney yet again. Mary Margaret and Ada were quiet.

"So," Emma cleared her throat. "What are we thinking?"

"I can't believe," Mary Margaret trailed off and shook her head, "The brakes on your car? You could've been hurt!"

Ada's mouth was tight, "I'm just surprised Regina didn't suggest it herself."

"We've got the bug on Sidney, every time he reports to her we'll be able to hear it," Emma added, "And we can record all their conversations. At the very least, this should keep us one step ahead for awhile."

"How did you bug Sidney?" Mary Margaret asked, her brow pinching.

Emma shrugged, "It's getting colder, Sidney only seems to have one coat, so I put a bug in the lining while he was in the bathroom. I added one on his phone, too, for any calls he makes."

Ada smirked, "Masterful," she approved.

Emma gave a slight nod in recognition. Mary Margaret shook her head, "I still can't believe- your brakes."

"They added a tracker on my car, too," Emma added, "So they'll be able to see anywhere I go in the cruiser. I had Tillman take it apart and put it back together for me, off the books. He was pretty surprised by the bug when we found it."

"Have you checked your phones for bugs?" Ada asked and Emma started.

"No," she trailed off.

"Well, no time like the present," Mary Margaret attempted cheer, "How do we check?"

Emma reached for the landline, "We take it apart, basically," and she did just that as Mary Margaret and Ada watched.

A few minutes later, Emma put something to the side and reassembled the phone.

"And this from the girl who broke my toaster," Mary Margaret whispered, though her heart wasn't in it as she stared at the tiny piece of electronic equipment on her island.

"Emma specializes," Ada tried to joke.

They all examined the bug carefully.

"What do we do with it now?" Mary Margaret finally broke the silence.

"I can think of a couple of options," Emma began, considering, "One. We put it back and be very careful with what was say on the phone. Two. We flush it down the toilet, and tell the town how we totally dropped the landline in a pot of boiling water and killed it, then buy a new one. The deadbolt on the door should prevent anyone getting in with a skeleton key when we bolt it," Emma flashed a significant look to Ada, "And as long as we don't leave anyone suspicious alone by the phones, we shouldn't have to worry about a new one being installed. Three. We get...technical, and attach it to another phone that is connected to the landline as well. Depending on what we want them to hear or not decides what phone we use to make a call."

"Third option sounds like the one that would raise the least suspicion on there part and give the most control on ours," Ada commented, "But option two sounds very cathartic," she added.

Mary Margaret shifted on her feet, "How do we know when the bug was added?" she asked.

Ada and Emma's eyes suddenly flew to each other.

"Did you make any of the calls-" Emma began, and Ada thought quickly.

"No," she determined, "They were all from my cell phone."

"What calls?" Mary Margaret began.

"About the custody battle," Ada told the brunette.

"Oh," she breathed, "You're putting things in order?"

Emma nodded, "I don't want to leave things to chance with the way things are going."

Mary Margaret nodded, her eyes full of approval and support. Emma blushed slightly and ducked her head at the expression on her mother's face.

"So what're we going to do about this?" Ada brought them back on track, tapping the counter top next to the bug.

"Whatever you two decide," Mary Margaret decreed, throwing up her hands, "I don't really know much about this whole...job." She winced at the wording.

Ada and Emma made eye contact and seemed to almost have a wordless conversation. The both nodded after a few seconds.

"Option three it is," Emma sighed, grabbing her coat. "We need to go buy a phone."

Ada sighed, "Let me get it, people will assume it's for my new apartment, rather than for you. If Regina or Sidney notice or hear, they won't think anything of it."

Emma nodded and put her coat away as Ada wrapped herself up in her scarf and prepared to leave.

"I'll see you guys later, and don't forget to lock that deadbolt," she reminded before exiting.

Emma obediently locked the deadbolt behind her.

Mary Margaret gave a sigh and began to make hot cocoa.

* * *

"This is the Reader to Gloria and Emma, the pepperoni is on the pizza," Henry's voice came over the walkie and Ada giggled at his code as Emma cracked a smile.

"We're on it," she replied and gave a nod to Ada, who turned the corner from where they stood beside Granny's back alley. She spotted Kathryn almost instantly.

"Oh, Kathryn!" Ada waved her down, "Thank god, could you do me a massive favor?"

"Sure," the blonde easily replied as she looked at the apparently flustered Ada, "What's wrong?"

"Well, I can't believe it, but I left my purse somewhere around town, I've been retracing my steps from the whole day but, well...it's a lot of ground to cover by myself. Would you mind helping me out and checking a few places? As long as you don't have anything else to do?"

"No," Kathryn easily replied, "I was just going to get some food, but I'll help you look. Where haven't you checked yet?"

Ada gave a sigh and grinned brightly, "You're a life saver. I'm going to rush to Marco's and check there, but I was also at Jim's Pizza for lunch- you know the place? Would you mind checking there while I run across town?"

Kathryn nodded and asked, "What's your bag look like?"

"Oh, it's a bright green fake leather sort of thing about this big," she gestured, "And it has a big brass buckle on the front. You can't mistake it. I've got my cell and stuff in there. Thanks so much again for doing this. If you find it at Jim's just...well, I guess I'll meet you there from Marco's and you can give it to me there."

"Ok," Kathryn took off in the direction of the only Pizza parlor in town and Ada grinned before returning to Emma.

"Reader, this is Gloria," she said as she slipped the walkie out of Emma's hands and pressed the button, "Hook, line, and sinker."

"Awesome!" Henry cheered over his end. Emma and Ada exchanged a grin.

"You better clear out, kid," Emma took the walkie back, "And don't forget to leave the bag there!"

"Over and out!" Henry cheerfully replied. "But I'm going to watch from the back," he added as an afterthought. Emma chuckled.

* * *

Kathryn figured she owed Ada more than one for all her help sorting out her feelings about the divorce. Ada was right, she hadn't been in love with David in years, if she ever really was. She tried to remember the feeling and it was all a haze, causing her to doubt if their marriage was ever worth fighting for in the first place, or if they were just fighting because they were too stubborn to admit they were wrong to reach that point. Taking the online classes was helping, too. Kathryn had something to _do_ with her day other than wallow in the fact David had already found love elsewhere while she was alone in that big house that was supposed to be their home. Ada's comments about confidentiality had also inspired Kathryn to go see Archie a few times. She wasn't _in_ therapy, she told herself, she was seeking help and advice from an professional. It helped sooth some of the pride Kathryn was starting to find in herself. She hadn't been proud before her divorce. Neither with David or without him. She felt like she was finding pieces of herself she had forgotten she had, and it felt good.

So, when Ada asked for something as simple as help finding a lost bag, well, Kathryn took the opportunity to repay back at least part of what she owed the woman.

Kathryn knew Jim's Pizza but had personally never set foot in it. She wasn't much for fast food, and pizza fell into that category by her definition. Oh, she knew there were specialty brick oven pizza creations that in all honesty were probably closer to artwork than fast food, but she just didn't have much of a taste for it.

She looked around the pizza parlor, wishing she had thought to ask Ada if she remembered where she had been sitting at lunchtime, and, distracted, she bumped into someone.

"Oh, hey!" he shouted. And he was definitely a _he_. Kathryn looked upward and saw a man, tall, with longish brown hair and _oh dear god_ those green eyes were the color of moss. Truly, deeply green, not the muddled green you got so often that appeared more hazel than true green.

She realized she was staring.

He was staring back.

* * *

Ada casually walked into Jim's Pizza about half an hour later and spotted Kathryn sitting in a booth across from Jim, actually taking a bite out of some cheesy pizza. Ada couldn't suppress the grin that stretched across her face even as she walked towards them.

"Kathryn?" she called out slightly as she approached, and both parties jumped a little, as if startled out of their own private world.

"Oh, Ada!" Kathryn shouted, and bolted out of the booth towards the redhead. She quickly grabbed Ada by the arm and lead her towards the door, "I found your bag, here it is," and Kathryn practically stuffed it in Ada's hands.

Ada could tell when she wasn't wanted, and only grinned more for it.

"So, meet someone interesting?" she questioned teasingly.

Kathryn's cheeks turned a bold red, "That? Oh, that's Jim. He, uh-" she trailed off and then looked at Ada, almost fearfully, "Do you remember when you told me no one deserves to be alone? And that, maybe, I should consider moving on- with someone who picks _me_ , no questions or doubts?"

"Yes," Ada responded, wiping the grin off her face as she recognized the serious moment for what it was.

"Did you really think that?" Kathryn asked quietly.

Ada grabbed one of the woman's hands and watched as she straightened, her pride coming back to put iron in her spine as she raised her chin up high.

" _Yes_ ," she reassured the Princess who had forgotten who she was and how she loved the man sitting in the booth behind her, waiting for her to return with another half of a cheesy pizza.

Kathryn gave a jerky nod but smiled sincerely as she pivoted and, with all the grace of a ballerina, returned to the booth where her True Love sat.

Ada smiled as she left the pizza parlor.

* * *

Everyone sat silently as Regina ran the town meeting, discussing her plans for a new playground perfunctorily as if something about it didn't go to plan.

Ada and Emma exchanged a smirk at that one, especially when they heard some people grumbling about Regina using the funds without approval from anyone else in town.

But the meeting went slowly, Regina dragging it along because she could, and they all left late in the evening. Ada nudged Emma and nodded towards Kathryn, who was walking literally arm-in-arm with Jim the gym teacher. Both girls shared another grin.

"I think we're doing well," Ada announced as they strolled back towards Mary Margaret's, knowing the teacher herself would be delayed as she walked _very slowly_ home on David's arm.

Emma just nodded without adding anything.

"I mean, we've got Kathryn and Jim, David and Mary Margaret, Tillman and his kids, we're reuniting people left and right."

Emma gave another nod.

Ada continued, "And I saw a strange car pull into Granny's. I think our social worker has arrived."

At that news, Emma turned to stare at Ada, "Why didn't you say something before?" she asked, her voice rising and crackling with tension.

"Because I wanted you to be yourself," Ada told her with a pat on the arm that made Emma feel rather infantalized. "And now that you've acted normally for the whole day, I'm ready to let you know the social worker is here so you will act on your best behavior and not be totally stunned when she approaches you to ask questions."

Emma just sighed and kept walking.

* * *

Sarah Monday frowned as she left the town hall where a meeting had just taken place. She'd kept herself inconspicuous, hanging in the back where no one noticed her except for a very short man who growled at her and called her "sister." Sarah hadn't seen Henry Mills at the meeting, but she had seen both Regina Mills and Emma Swan (and Sarah felt pretty confident in identifying the redhead with Miss Swan as Ada Ward).

It had been an odd day, not the least because of her difficulty getting into Storybrooke. The small town was impossible to find on any map, so she ended up almost driving right past it. Then, just as she had found the town line, her car died. Right there, in the middle of the road on the town line. Fortunately, it was a small enough town and Sarah felt relatively safe leaving her car there and locked as she walked into town for a mechanic. It was then she spied the town meeting going on.

Regina didn't seem to have the approval of many of her constituents, considering the grumbling that had gone on when she carried on her meeting, discussing plans for a new playground. Didn't voters usually like projects like that? Sarah found the town's attitude odd, considering Mayor Mills _had_ gotten elected. Perhaps it was an off night? Small towns are notorious for their drama and involvement in each of their citizen's lives, maybe Mayor Mills had done or said something minor to get the town riled at her?

Sarah looked around, seeing who she would like to subtly probe for answers while asking for a mechanic. She spotted the same man who had growled at her earlier and quickly decided against him.

"Excuse me?" she approached an older woman, grey-haired with half-moon glasses that Sarah hadn't even realized were made anymore. The woman turned to face her and, after quickly eyeing her critically, smoothed her expression into something welcoming.

"Yes?" she asked, stopping to turn towards Sarah.

"I'm afraid I'm looking for a mechanic- I was driving and my car just stopped, right up the road there. I came and found the town meeting and figured I could ask for a local mechanic?" Sarah smiled, trying to set the woman at ease.

"Tillman is one of our best mechanics," the older woman said, pointing to a man who was walking in the opposite direction with a child on either side of him, "If you end up needing a place to stay the night, I run the B&B, right over there," she pointed again, "You just come in and ask for Granny, don't mind my granddaughter, Ruby's...got a mind of her own." With that, the woman gave a sharp nod and went on with her night.

* * *

David was pretty sure he'd never regain his memories at this point, but he couldn't really bring himself to care. After all, the present was so much more... _more_ than he could imagine his past ever being. And it was all because of her.

Mary Margaret.

Well, it wasn't totally and completely her: he did have several friends who were making life well worth enjoying. Sean Herman, despite their age difference, was a pretty great drinking buddy for the occasional beer at the Rabbit Hole. It was interesting for David, giving the younger man advice when he himself had no memories older than the past few months. Sean was thinking of proposing, and that thought brought him right back to Mary Margaret.

They weren't ready for that yet, but he could _see_ it, which was astonishing enough.

For now, he was happy just to walk her home from the town meeting before leaving for the night to go to his own apartment. Emma would be there already, waiting for Mary Margaret while trying to act as if she hadn't been. David found the blonde surprisingly easy for him to read, and was grateful she and Mary Margaret had each other. Sometimes, though, Emma would look at him as if...almost as if she wasn't quite sure what to make of him, whether to hug him or punch him. David couldn't figure it out, was pretty close to just asking her about it.

"Good evening," a voice interrupted his musing, and he and Mary Margaret turned to spy Mr. Gold walking up to them. The pawnbroker gave a smile at the couple and tilted his head. "Mr. Nolan," he continued, "I understand you're still struggling with your memories."

"I don't need them," he assured the man, finding himself a little unnerved by his presence. Something about Gold was just...off. Unsettling.

"Ah," Mr. Gold smiled, "How _Charming_ , but I'm sure you'll find that you do one of these days," he gave a little shrug, "And, in my own way, I'm offering some help. You see, I have many items in my shop, and one of them used to belong to you," he held out his hand and David automatically grasped what was in it, "According to my records, this was yours. Perhaps it might jog something, if not," Gold shrugged, "Well, time is a wonderful thing as it progresses. Have a good night." David looked down in his hand and saw a tiny, delicate, blue glass unicorn.

"What is it?" Mary Margaret asked, and he held it out between the two of them as they looked. "Oh," she gasped as she caught sight of it, and David could've sworn he saw, in the reflections off the glass, a memory of a white dress and long, curling black hair with flowers in it.

"Well," Mary Margaret brought them both out of their thoughts with a laugh, "This doesn't quite seem your style," she teased him.

"Maybe," he trailed off, "Maybe it was my mother's? Or something. I think..."

"What?"

"I reminds me of," but as he sought to put it in words, the memory of the white dress and black hair was lost, replaced by the real-life vision of Mary Margaret with her grey jacket and knit hat. He shrugged, "I don't know."

She gave him a small smile and, tucking the unicorn in his pocket, they continued their walk.

* * *

Rumplestiltskin gave a smirk as he watched the Charmings head off, arm-in-arm, and brought out his phone. Wonderful devices, he'll give this realm that much. Of course, the lack of magic was something he'd need to correct as soon as possible. But for now, Regina couldn't have that sort of power, and his ability to manipulate and the help of Miss Ward would keep him ahead of the game until it was safe for him to claim his full power.

_It was getting boring, dearie. You'll thank me later._

He pressed send on the text. Miss Ward would be puzzling that one out for a little time, in the meantime, he had a few more pieces to move about the board. Let's see how well his rook would keep up with the game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so thrilled to write that happy interlude for Kathryn. Not to mention having Henry, Ada, and Emma working together to get them to meet was hilarious. I love having Henry use the walkies. That kid is freaking adorable.
> 
> I considered having Sarah not be able to get into town to clue Emma into the fact that August wasn't necessarily from the Land Without Magic, but then I remembered Ada had gotten into town so, that wouldn't exactly work. Unfortunately, that realization came after I had already rewritten several chapters, so I had to re-rewrite them. It was fun. Hopefully that allowed me to catch more grammar mistakes, though! Silver lining.
> 
> So what did you guys think of the chapter? Like it? Love it? Hate it? What did you think of Gold's newest move?


	28. Interviews

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarah Monday interviews the town, then has Ada say her piece.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a new chapter! Whoo! I kinda like this chapter, but I wrote it, so...let's not go by me. It's pretty light on the action, really, if you couldn't guess from the title. I think the title really says it all, and if you can't figure it out: well, you can just read the chapter! Sorry for the lateness of my posting- I normally get the chapters to you guys in the afternoon, but I've been sick the past week and had a doctor's visit today and then got to email all my professors about missing class. But exiting news: next chapter will start Skin Deep. GOLD! Should be interesting with Ada there as well.

Ada examined the figurine in her hand, "And this'll help?"

"They both seemed quite preoccupied with the piece I gave our dashing Prince," Gold told her, smirking as he sat across from her, both hands folded neatly over his cane as he watched Ada hold the pink glass unicorn in front of her face.

"What is it?"

Rumplestiltskin giggled, "Why, a unicorn, dearie! I realize you don't have them in this land, but I rather thought you'd recognize it."

Ada shot him an irritated look, "I know that, but what's it significance?"

"It's part of a much larger item I have here in the shop," he reached forward and moved his Queen, "And the rest...you can puzzle out yourself."

Ada sighed and put the unicorn down to pay closer attention to the board before her. Just as she moved her Bishop, the bells above the shop door rang. She shot Rumple a look.

"You have people other than me who come here?" she asked him, and Ada smirked a little when she noticed she had managed to slightly irritate Gold with that comment.

* * *

"Well, no, I don't remember a home visit," Granny told the woman who had introduced herself as a social worker, looking into Henry's home life. "But, it _was_ ten years ago now. It's a bit of a haze, really."

"You're quite right, we'll move on. What about Henry's current home life? What do you think?"

Granny frowned, "Well, it's not really my place to say, but I just don't know. Mayor Mills is...very strict, not that there's anything wrong with that," she shot a look over at the waitress Sarah had been told was her granddaughter, "Children do need structure and rules. I honestly can't say much- we don't really see Henry with Madame Mayor often, usually he's here with Emma, the two of them could keep me scrambling for cocoa and cinnamon supplies for years."

"Well, what does Mayor Mills like to do with her son?"

Granny's brow knotted, "I think she and Henry only really spend time together at home. I don't see them out and about together much."

Sarah barely restrained her fingers from twitching with the want to make a note- people got funny when they saw you writing down things they say, it was better to interview without a notepad and pen and to take down notes afterwards.

"Well, I'll have a hamburger, they look delicious," she ordered, sliding the menu across the counter towards the old woman.

"Fries or onion rings?" Granny asked.

* * *

"Ah," Gold said as Sarah Monday walked into his shop, "You must be the social worker, I've heard tell of you coming," he turned to face Ada, "You didn't tell me I rated a visit, dearie," he gave her a grin, and she couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes.

"The ego," she dryly replied. "Ada Ward," she introduced herself to Sarah with a wave of her hand, standing from the table with the chessboard to face the new woman properly. "Do you need me to leave for this or go to another room?" Ada offered, unable to stop herself from twisting the hem of her skirt in nerves. She really needed to break herself of that particular tick, Rumple thought: it gave far too much away about her state of mind.

Sarah shook her head and offered Ada her hand, "Sarah Monday. And, no, actually, you being here makes things rather easier on me. I can easily talk to you both at the same time."

"Oh, I think you'll want to read," Gold corrected her, reaching into Ada's bag (with a "Hey!" from the redhead at the invasion of privacy), "I know Miss Ward likes to carry this around with her for fear of being _misplaced_ ," he told the social worker as he bypassed the story book for the file he'd assembled for Ada when she first told him about the pending custody battle, "But we've had a bit of a project ourselves that might interest you," he offered her the file with a small bow, the picture of gallantry.

* * *

"Listen, sister," Leroy practically growled, "I don't talk to the kid, I don't see the kid, I got no love for the Mayor, but I've got no love for anyone, so go ask your questions and gossip somewhere else!"

* * *

"This file," Sarah tapped her finger on it slightly, "It's very thorough," she said, looking at Mr. Gold. He had the audacity to shrug.

"I find it helpful to keep an eye on the power in town. You never know when the wind will shift and it's the little people," he gave a smirk, as everyone in the room thought about how very far from _little people_ Mr. Gold was, "Who get hurt in the process. Best to keep an eye out so one can move with the times."

Sarah, obviously slightly suspicious of Mr. Gold's intentions, turned to Ada, "What can you tell me?"

Ada sighed, "I'll start at the beginning. Henry showed up on our doorstep on Emma's birthday night."

* * *

"Well," Michael Tillman sighed, looking over his shoulder at his own children, appearing to do their homework in his office while he got some work done on Sarah's car. "There's some...things."

Sarah said nothing, not wanting to lead him, and waited patiently for the man to put together the words in his own way.

"I like Emma," Tillman began, "She's the one who helped me get my kids, who helped me believe that...that I could do it and that I should. The Mayor was going to have them shipped off to Boston, separate orphanages and everything, but Ada called some people and got enough time for us to come together. Emma told me she wasn't with Henry because she didn't have a choice, you know? And...after that article they printed in the newspaper, I can see why she thought she didn't have a choice at the time, you know?" Sarah did _not_ know, but kept quiet on that front as the man continued, "Henry ran away to find her, begged her to stay, and Regina...well, she didn't like that. Understandably," the man quickly corrected, "She tried to get Emma to leave town plenty, though," he frowned, "I don't know, I just...," he trailed off again, "My kids have only ever had one parent at a time, if I found out they could have two?" he shrugged, "I like to think I'd welcome the help," he smirked, "And who couldn't understand someone loving their kid?" the mechanic shrugged again, "But the Mayor doesn't seem to have many friends," he trailed off, "Or any, really, that I know of, so I guess she's used to it just being her and Henry. I guess the kid gets lonely sometimes. He leaves home a lot to find Emma or Ada to spend time with him."

"Doesn't the Mayor notice when he leaves the house? Where does she think he goes?"

Tillman shrugged, "I think he mostly leaves home when she's not there- at work or meetings or...something."

Sarah smiled and asked, "And what's wrong with my car?"

"Oh, nothing, actually," Tillman frowned, "I can't figure what got it to stop like that. I'll have one of the other boys look over it, see if I'm missing something."

Sarah nodded and got up to leave, but Tillman's voice stopped her, "There's," he cleared his throat, "One more thing," he leaned closer, as if afraid his words would be heard. Sarah had gotten that response from a lot of people in this town- they seemed to believe the Mayor had ears everywhere.

That was concerning.

"Emma's car," he gestured to a yellow Volkswagon Beetle sitting a few feet away, "She brought it in the other day because, well, someone had cut the breaks," Tillman shrugged, "I don't know what's up with that, but the reporter, Sydney, he was with her, and talking about the Mayor," Tillman trailed off, "And, later, Emma and I took it all apart to check how everything was- we found...well, Emma said it was a tracker, and I reckon she'd be the one to know."

Sarah couldn't quite manage to keep her face neutral at that news.

* * *

"You have to understand, I've known Emma for almost a decade now, and she's told me about Henry before we came here. She only gave him up for his best chance, and when he runs away from home, hops a bus and takes a cab, steals a very well-loved teacher's credit card, all to track her down? Well, it was a worrying sign," Ada gave a gusty sigh, "So we stayed, thinking we would stay for a week and ascertain whether or not there was some sort of problem we should be worried about. Emma never wanted Henry in the foster system," both women grimaced at that, understanding the urge, "And with a closed adoption, she was guaranteed, or so she thought, that Henry would go to a loving family who could give him the best of everything and treasure him. It's a thorough vetting process for adoption, she knew that, she figured it would be Henry's best chance. Regina...wasn't thrilled we were checked into Granny's for a week. She might've called Granny and...reminded the old lady of a rule that there were no felons allowed to rent rooms in the B&B," Ada scowled, "So Emma was planning on camping out in her car for as long as it took while I stayed in the room. Regina had the bug booted, as well, if I recall and...arranged it, for Henry to hear Emma tell her the idea of a cursed town full of fairtytale characters was crazy. He was heartbroken." Ada stuck to the facts, knowing that was her best bet and the only hope for Henry.

* * *

"Oh, I'm not sure I'm the right person to interview, you see, I live with Emma," Henry's teacher gave a smile, and Sarah liked her- she seemed a perfectly sweet woman, and as children drifted by on their ways home from school, several called out to her and said goodbye. Mary Margaret always responded with a cheery smile and wave, sometimes a shout of "See you tomorrow!" as well. "And I'm good friends with both girls. And, well...the Mayor isn't too fond of me," her brow furrowed, "I've never really understood why, but she's...ahem, a very tense person? I'm sure it's not something really against _me_ , unless it's about David," she muttered the last part almost to herself.

"David?" Sarah questioned.

Mary Margaret's whole face lit up, "He and I are dating. He was married to Kathryn, though they're divorced now. They were separated for," she gave a gusty sigh, "Oh, _years_ , but it turned out that when David left Kathryn all that time ago, he crashed or...something. I was never very clear on what state Regina found him in. She just said she found him on the side of the road," the teacher trailed off again before giving herself a visible shake and getting back on track, "Anyways, he was in a coma for all this time, Kathryn thinking that he'd left and never come back, him in a coma, and when he woke up, well, he'd lost all his memories. You can imagine the strain that put on the marriage when they had already been having trouble before he left and got himself in a coma. Regardless, they divorced a little while after they broke up, and while Kathryn was understandably upset, I rather think she's moved on," Mary Margaret nodded towards a blonde woman who was waiting before being joined by a rather handsome man exiting the school building, "And Kathryn and Regina were good friends, so Regina was rather angry at me when David left Kathryn and then moved on with me, while Kathryn was still single. Of course, she was always angry before that as well," Miss Blanchard frowned again.

* * *

"So Henry told us Regina wasn't going to be back till 5, and he wanted to spend time with Emma," Ada rolled her eyes with a small grin, "We kept trying to send him home, and he kept sneaking back to us, hiding in the back of the bug, even, so eventually I had to literally walk him home. Now he tells us when he's going to be home alone so we can check up on him or spend some time with him so he's not alone."

* * *

"Achoo!" Sarah flinched back as the pharmacist gave a mighty sneeze, "I don't know much, but I can tell you this: Henry has been going to therapy for years now, and Walter was cleaning the offices one night when she picked Henry up. Well, he overheard Archie, Achoo!, the shrink, tell Regina that Henry was depressed. This was after Graham, Achoo!, passed away," Mr, Clark frowned sadly, "Tragic, a heart attack, and so young. He was one of Henry's people, though- him, Mary Margaret, and now Emma and Ada all look out for the boy whenever Regina is working and he's on his own. Of course, boy took Graham's death awful hard, Achoo!" Sarah fancied that sneeze sounded rather mournful compared to the others, but the pharmacist carried on, "And Walter said that Regina just, phffft," he waved his hand as if to swat away a gnat, "And that was that. ACHOO!"

"And could you tell me where Archie is?" Sarah asked as she slid the candy bar across the counter for Mr. Clark to ring up.

"This time of day he's always walking Pongo around. He should be near the center of, Achoo!, town, though."

* * *

"I'm very sorry to hear about the loss of the former Sheriff," Sarah told Ada sincerely, "He sounds like he was a good man."

Ada grinned, "He was, a very good man. Henry liked him a lot, and was...shattered by Graham's death. He was convinced it was because he was trying to break the curse, and refused to believe in...anything really, for fear someone else would die. Henry was...without hope," Ada sighed, "So, when Regina tried to instate Sydney as Sheriff without an election, Emma announced she was running."

* * *

"I'm afraid, without a more...legal warrant, there's only so much I can tell you," Archie explained as he let them (and his Dalmatian, Pongo) into his office. "Even off the record."

"I completely understand," Sarah assured him, "And I don't expect you to violate your patient's confidentiality or put yourself in an ethical dilemma."

Archie smirked, "I'm afraid even without your questions I'm already at an ethical dilemma."

Sarah sat down on the couch, "That doesn't sound promising," she told Archie as he grabbed a mug and gestured towards it with raised brows, Sarah nodded and the therapist began to make coffee with the machine he kept to one side.

"No," he nodded, focused on the task of brewing more than it truly warranted, "I imagine not."

"Does Doctor-Patient confidentiality apply to me as well now that we're here?" Sarah asked, looked around the office aimlessly while studying Archie Hopper from the corner of her eyes.

He smirked, "You're rather like Miss Ward, it appears- she once asked me the same thing."

"Do you like Miss Ward?" Sarah asked, direct.

Archie considered it for a moment before answering, his tone measured, "I have a healthy respect for her, I certainly think she is likable and I guess, yes, I _do_ like her. She's not terribly fond of _me_ , though."

Sarah kept quiet, but her expression was question enough for the Doctor, who sighed as he waited for the coffee drip to fill the small carafe.

"I'm afraid I made a rather grievous error when she and Emma first arrived in town. I allowed fear, rather than my own conscience, to determine my actions. It was rather inexcusable, and I haven't completely made it up to Miss Ward yet."

"Your actions hurt Miss Ward?" Sarah asked.

Archie shook his head and gave a small grin, "My actions hurt Emma, but she forgave me rather quickly. It is Miss Ward who I must prove myself to. They're rather...codependent. I wouldn't say it's unhealthy at this point, though, in my professional opinion. They depend and rely on each other heavily. Emma's dependence is readily apparent to anyone who has eyes, but Miss Ward's is more...subtle, I suppose. They both put Henry first consistently, and that was how I rather hurt Miss Swan: I did not put Henry first. Miss Ward chewed me out for it and made that, ah, _readily_ apparent."

Sarah's brows furrowed and Archie sighed, "I'm afraid you won't think much of me when I'm done telling you this story," Archie confessed as he poured two mugs of coffee and went to his own seat. "When Emma first arrived in town, she began investigating herself how Henry's home life was. Rather understandable, I think: Emma has a strong sense of duty and will go very far even for people she's only had a passing acquaintance with; a strong sense of...justice, and fairness, I suppose, urges her on. Henry ran towards her, rather upset, seeking her for comfort, and she brought him home, as required by law, and investigated to make sure he had his best chance, as required by her conscience. Regina," he trailed off, "She did not like Emma being here. Did not like her asking questions about Henry. So she...ah, _asked_ ," Sarah thought he put a strange emphasis on the word, "That I let Emma take Henry's file with her when she came to ask me about him. Then she _asked_ that I call the Sheriff and report it stolen. I did so."

Sarah couldn't help herself from gawking.

"Not my finest moment," Archie acknowledged, "And, unfortunately, not my most shameful, either. Henry's a very special boy, and I've been seeing him for most of his life now. Recently, since receiving a book from his teacher, Miss Blanchard, he's latched onto a very strong belief system inspired by the novel. It's a set of fairytales, retold, and Henry uses it as a means of communication. He absolutely believes in it, and I've cautioned both Regina and Emma against upsetting it too much- it's how Henry's communicating, and it's a wonderful use of his imagination, besides, it would be devastating for him to know Emma doesn't believe him as well."

"Just Emma?" Sarah questioned.

Archie sighed, "Regina would rather not...play along. For obvious reasons. You see, Henry has...aligned her with the character of the Evil Queen, while Emma...is the mythical Savior of the book, destined to save everyone. Apparently, the book ends on a bit of cliffhanger. Regina's very controlling- a micromanager, which I suppose makes her a fantastic Mayor, really. But she also...inspires quite a bit of fear from the citizens. Henry's latched onto that, presumably because it's the fear of Regina that prevents him from easily making friends with the other children. No one is particularly eager to get too close to Regina, and she's...happy with that, from what I can see."

"Does she micromanage her son as well?" Sarah asked, knowing it was a leading question but unable to quite stop herself long enough to find a better way to phrase it.

"Well," Archie's face screwed up in concentration, or perhaps distaste, "I would say, yes, when she's with him she very much exerts her control. However, Henry has his rebellions- before Emma came, he ran away frequently from home whenever Regina left for something or another. Now that Emma is here, his rebellion is spending time with her or Miss Ward. They play along with his story, while also encouraging him to spend more time with other people around him. It's probably the best way to transition him into a more mature dialogue method: giving him a social structure outside of Regina. She...does not approve of Henry associating with the sisters, or anyone, really.

"My greatest shame," he looked away, focusing on the leg of the couch rather than her, "Is that I allowed myself to be bullied into trying to break Henry out of his fantasy. Mayor Mills was getting...frustrated, with Henry's assertions that she was the Evil Queen, responsible for everyone's unhappiness. She insisted I...I believe her word was "crush" Henry's "delusion." Again, her word choice."

"Did she threaten you?" Sarah asked, watching Archie carefully.

He made eye contact, but remained silent, even as he continued, "I did so, causing Henry to go off on a rather dangerous and foolish quest for proof, putting his life in danger. The situation was eventually resolved, but I cannot forgive myself for not listening to my conscience. I have, however, since declared myself a, ah, free man."

The words between the lines spoke volumes to Sarah Monday.

"You said you've been treating Henry most of his life? Before he started talking about the fairytales?"

"Yes."

"Can I ask you what prompted him to start going to therapy?"

Archie frowned, "You know, I don't know? It's a bit of a haze," he looked off into the distance, "I'd have to check my notes. I do remember that Henry only recently began talking about the curse, though, and before that we mostly discussed his life and relationship with Regina. We also occasionally discussed his feelings on his adoption and his potential birth mother."

* * *

"So Sydney printed an article, front page of the paper, about Emma's juvie record which, let me repeat, was _sealed_. The title was all about how Henry was born while she was in prison. Regina made several...comments. Again, Henry was heartbroken- very upset, he still hadn't even recovered from Graham's death. None of us had, really. Emma tried to point out the article was hurting Henry, but Regina wouldn't hear of it. Insisted it was better, and he "would've learned eventually." She mentioned something about how we all lose our heroes to Emma when she confronted Regina about it. Emma and I had a long talk with Henry about it, though, and he's largely moved past it, I believe. He's quite resilient, really," Ada gave a smile that was pained.

"What she's neglected to mention," Gold cut in, "Is that it's common knowledge that Sydney Glass is happily living inside our dear Mayor's pocket, if you didn't gather from our tale." Gold turned to Ada and gave a little wave with his hand, "Please, continue on."

* * *

Henry was scribbling on a piece of paper at Granny's counter. It was an old habit, started before Emma had even come to town. Started back when he first started feeling lonely, starting when he could begin to write letters. Because that's what it was: a letter.

He had a lot of letters, actually, stored up over the years. They were hidden in the pages of his other books, some of them ones he'd never read because Regina had only bought them in an attempt to get him to stop reading _the_ book. But Henry used them to hide the various letters because he _never_ wanted Regina to find them. As far as he knew, she was totally ignorant of their existence, and so wouldn't go looking for them. Still, it sometimes made him nervous. He considered asking Ada to hide them, but, well, they were personal.

They were letters to Emma.

He can't recall ever being ignorant of being adopted. Of course, he can't remember how he found out. Or maybe he figured it out. After all, he was smart enough to figure out the curse, he could figure out he was adopted, too. Either way, when the house was empty and he felt alone, he used to talk out loud to his birth mother. Emma. When _she_ was home, he'd turn to writing letters while she thought he was doing homework, so that way he could keep talking without her finding out. He used to address them "Dear Mom," before he knew who Emma was, and now...well, he still wrote "Dear Mom."

Sometimes he told himself it was just habit.

Sometimes he promised himself it was practice.

Since Emma had come to town he hadn't written many letters, but he did scribble down the occasional one because, well, when Emma or Ada couldn't be with him, it kept the loneliness away. And it felt _good_ , to write them. He figured maybe, someday, he could give them to Emma, and she could see that he really had always loved her, and while sometimes he wasn't sure why she wasn't with him, he had never hated her. Sometimes he thought Emma was still scared he'd hate her. And not just him, but people in general. Henry wasn't stupid- he knew she was worried how her parents would react to meeting her. But Henry had hope- just like his grandmother- and he knew they'd love Emma.

After all, who besides the Evil Queen wouldn't love Emma?

But still, he figured Emma sometimes needed a reminder, so he wrote letters and planned to give them to her, someday. When the curse was broken, and the happy endings were back.

"Whatcha working on?" the stranger asked, and Henry turned to stare at him, quickly covering his paper with his hands. Ada had said the stranger's name was August Booth, and he was a writer. Henry thought being a writer might be pretty cool- he might become one someday, and write about all his adventures. But still, he was a _stranger_ , and Ada and Emma weren't sure about him.

Henry, honestly, wasn't too sure about him either.

"No time to talk," Henry told him, "I'm busy."

He turned back to the paper, but didn't lift his hands off it as he waited for the stranger to leave the stool next to his.

"Yeah, I hate it when great ideas slip away from me," the man drawled, looking straight ahead, but Henry kept his hands firmly in place.

"They're not ideas. It's a letter."

"Must be a hell of a letter to have you writing like that. Who's it for?" he tried to peek around Henry's splayed hands, but Henry tugged the paper closer to him. "What are you writing about then?" the stranger tried again when Henry remained silent.

"Stuff."

"Sounds exciting."

Henry looked at the man with narrowed eyes, "You seem awfully interested in me and my letter."

"No," the stranger shook his head, "I'm just being neighborly."

Henry tried another tack, thinking maybe he could get some information for Emma and Ada- it would be so cool if he could help! "What are you doing in Storybrooke?"

The stranger gave him a smile, "I'm a writer."

Henry already knew that, not that he'd say anything. He was learning about double agent and spy stuff by watching loads of spy movies whenever Regina left the house and Emma was at work. "You can write anywhere. What are you _really_ doing here?"

The stranger leaned in a whispered, "Stuff."

Henry didn't find that amusing as the man stood up and began to leave.

"Good luck with the letter," he tossed over his shoulder as he left Granny's.

Henry decided he wasn't a fan of August Booth, as cool as being a writer sounded.

* * *

Sarah gave a sigh as she finished listening to Ada's story of her time in Storybrooke. "I can see why you called Bill," she admitted to the redhead, "And not just because of what you've told me just now. All day, it's been..."

"Little things that add up to a big fat awful thing?" Ada asked, "Yeah, that's how it started for me, too. Then the big awful thing kept getting bigger and I got nauseous."

"I see what you mean," Sarah gave a small smirk that didn't reach her eyes, "Well, I suppose there's really only a few more things I need to do before leaving."

* * *

"Oh," Kathryn Nolan sighed, a grimace on her face, "I don't know much about Henry, really, aside from what Regina and Ada have told me. I'm friends with both of them, you see, and," she winced visibly, "I don't want to get in between the two."

"Regina and Ada?" Sarah asked.

Kathryn shrugged, "One thing I do know- to go against Emma is to go against Ada. I will say that both women, and Emma, to my knowledge, are very strong, stubborn, capable people. I don't know Emma that well- she's very close with Mary Margaret, and even though the divorce is amicable, it's still...awkward. But I really don't think I'd be any help for you either way- I've never actually seen Regina interact with Henry and have only glimpsed him with Emma once in awhile as we go around town, you know?"

* * *

"Hello, Henry," Henry looked up from his homework to see another stranger, but this one was a woman, dressed in a suit with heels and her hair in a bun. Henry quickly sized her up.

"You're the social worker, aren't you? The one Ada's friend called?" he asked.

Sarah Monday slid across from him in the booth, "Yes, I am. Very clever of you. Then again, I suppose you don't get many strangers in town."

"Seems to be the month for it," Henry told her seriously.

"I'd like to talk to you, if you don't mind," Sarah said, "Unofficially. Because, frankly, Henry: you're my best source for what's going on around here."

Henry closed up his homework and tucked it away in his backpack. He turned to face Sarah Monday dead on, and folded his hands in front of him on the table. With his most serious expression, he told her, "Ask me anything."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there we have that. See, I found all of that rather interesting, but I'm the one writing it, so it might only be interesting to because I'm trying to come up with what every character might say. What did you guys think?
> 
> Again, I have no idea what the process is for a custody battle, but it hasn't technically started yet- Sarah's been sent in by Ada's lawyer friend to check things out and assess the situation. Interestingly enough, she didn't bother talking to either Emma or Regina.
> 
> Yet.
> 
> That may come later.
> 
> But I did set things up for Henry's letter to Emma! I figured if he wrote one, he probably wrote several, and that inspired the scene, which I had August interrupt like he did when Henry was trying to rewrite the book. So I got to use that scene after all! Even though the book hasn't been stolen!


	29. Questions and Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarah interviews the mothers, Gold and Ada play twenty questions to settle a confrontation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the extreme lateness of this chapter, Spring Break had me without my laptop charger and pretty busy, so I got no writing done outside of some essays for school (on the bright side- I was able to fully recover from whatever nasty virus I had picked up and I got to cuddle with my cat and dog!), and then these past few weeks have been strangely hectic for no real reason in particular. And now it's finals! But that's boring stuff: on with the show!
> 
> Skin Deep is turning out to be a lot of fun with Ada around- she brings in some fun perspective. I'm also adding in my own original Sarah Monday plot. Exciting. And nerve-wracking... but that plot kind of took over most of this chapter, so Skin Deep is going to be more in the next chapter.

Sydney's fingers shook slightly as he dialed, his eyes nervously flashing back and forth between the woman sitting in the booth at Granny's counter across from Henry and the phone. He had to restart several times when the trembling of his hands caused he to press the wrong number.

Oh, _she_ would not be pleased with this.

Sydney wasn't sure what she'd do, but he knew she'd do something and it would be swift, and leave no doubt as to who held the power in this town. He almost shuddered thinking of it. And he would be by her side, ready to do whatever she willed, her loyal servant. Regina was swift, powerful, and full of a fire that burned Sydney even as he tried to inch closer.

It was glorious.

He could barely imagine the inferno that would be sparked by this.

* * *

Regina rolled her eyes slightly at the sight of Sydney's number on her phone. She briefly debated if she even wanted to pick up or not. It had been a long day and between time beginning to move, Henry rebelling against her, and the citizens of her sleepy town beginning to wake up and _complain_ , she'd been doing more Mayoral work in the past few months since Miss Swan's arrival than she had in all the twenty-eight years before. For all the repetitious monotony of Storybrooke prior to the sister's arrival, at least being Mayor required very little actual effort from her. She had signed off on the same papers every day, year after year, rejected the same proposals, ran the same meetings. Nothing had changed, and her power had remained absolute. Now the obnoxious Hansel and Gretel, who had hurt her so, had been reunited with their ignorant low-class father, she was getting swamped with paperwork, Henry was openly defying her and seeking out other company instead of only having hers, the cricket that was supposed to occupy his time and convince him that his delusions were no fault of her own was getting...ideas, and Snow White was once again nauseously smiling into the eyes of her beloved Prince Charming. And they didn't even have to worry about the ex-wife! Somehow, Kathryn had run across her True Love, making her perfectly happy to let David ride off into the sunset with the school marm as Kathryn spent her time with the sweaty, reeking gym teacher!

Regina had thought that she had manipulated Princess Abigail better than that.

Still, retrospection did not suit her. She had never cared for it. Wallowing, continuously pressing on the bruises and cuts of her heartache so they throbbed and never healed? In that, she was a savant. Retrospection?

She never cared for examining her own past actions.

Regina had to look after the present if she wanted her future to remain her own Happy Ending. With that in mind, she answered Sydney's call. A tool, no doubt, but he had his uses.

"There is a stranger in town. She's been asking questions."

Regina sighed, "I know about the stranger already, Sydney. He- wait," she thought back over his words, "You said "she." Another stranger?"

It was bad enough one had gotten past the borders. If more and more were coming...that was a sure sign of her beautiful curse weakening further. And the more strangers there were, the more eyes there were on her and her town, which means the more questions people would ask.

Regina did not like people questioning her.

"She's asking about Henry."

Regina could've sworn her heart stopped.

"What about Henry?" she gritted out.

Sydney's voice took on that obnoxious quality it always had when he was giving her news- he gloried in being able to tell her things first, in giving her information, in being her spy. He wouldn't glory in it so much if he had realized that every piece of bad news he gave her made him more disgusting in her eyes. Sure, none of this was Sydney's own doing, but Regina was always one for shooting the messenger.

"Whether or not there was a home visit when he was adopted, if he's happy, if he's well cared for. I think she's a social worker of some sort."

"So," Regina mused aloud, mind already tossing Sydney to the wayside as she considered her potential moves. "Miss Swan is gearing up for a custody battle after all."

Sydney continued to prattle on, but Regina wasn't paying attention. Her mind was already moving several steps ahead. Her former teacher always liked to compare manipulation to a game of chess, but Regina preferred the idea of a battle- she would have to summon up her troops, all her strength, and go for a full-frontal assault on the enemy. The Evil Queen rarely had patience for more subtly than that. She had been subtle for years- waiting for the perfect way for the King to die, for Snow to trust her completely so she could kill both Royals and seize the kingdom for herself. She'd be the Queen her mother had always wanted her to be, but she'd be avenged by the gain of absolute power.

With Snow's finding of True Love, with her sappy wedding and disgusting baby plans, the time for subtlety had long since passed. Regina had all the power and she'd use it. No waiting required.

She dismissed Sydney half-mindedly, and hung up the phone. Miss Swan had damaged her apple tree, but she could still bring a little something to soften up the stranger with.

Time to get baking.

* * *

Sarah Monday walked cautiously into the Sheriff's office, trying to clear her mind of all assumptions so she could be as impartial as possible. She'd liked all she'd heard about Miss Swan, and Miss Ward certainly thought her sister a wonderful person, but Sarah had to make her own judgements so she cleared her mind accordingly.

"Hello?" she called out to the blonde woman sitting at the one desk. It was off in its own office, surrounded by glass walls and facing the cells. There was a man's leather jacket hanging on the coat rack, a single walkie talkie on the desk beside the woman and all her paperwork, and a to-go cup from Granny's by her elbow. The blonde herself was wearing a pair of jeans, boots, and simple blue shirt with her own leather jacket hanging on the back of her chair. She looked up at Sarah's call and stood up, obviously nervous.

"Hi," she said and fidgeted slightly, "I guess you're Sarah?"

Sarah gave a small nod, "I'm going to assume you're Emma?"

The blonde gave a shaky nod as she tucked some hair behind her ear. Sarah noticed a brown shoelace tied around her wrist as she completed the movement.

"How about we sit out there," Emma gestured to the main area between her office and the cells where two other desks faced each other and the filing cabinets stood along one wall. Emma and Sarah both moved into the area in silent agreement and each grabbed a chair. They sat between the two desks, facing each other. Emma's back was to the cells, and an ancient computer was Sarah's own backdrop as the two women sized each other up. Emma fidgeted. Sarah crossed her legs and folded her hands into her lap.

"Why don't you tell me what's going on?"

And Emma began.

* * *

Regina smiled as she pulled the apple turnover out of her pristine oven. She did like the kitchens of this world. Hers contained all the gadgets she could want. She breathed deep, inhaling that smell of apple. None of the apples from her tree in this world contained the... _potency_ of the apple she had once cursed Snow White with in their own world. Of course, there was no magic in this land. But something about the symbolism of it all appealed to Regina's inner dramatist. Perhaps she had learned something from Rumple beyond the use of her mother's spells. She frowned as she thought on the imp: she'd spotted him giving something to David Nolan after the town meeting. Also, he was being far too helpful towards the Misses Swan and Ward. Regina had started to have a sinking feeling that the treacherous imp found a loophole in the curse that allowed him to remember. She'd have to set up some sort of test.

She carefully timed the cooling of the turnover, and then popped it gracefully into a container. Ziploc, another great wonder of this world. Strange what they come up with to compensate for a lack of magic.

Regina carefully checked her outfit and made sure her make-up was impeccable. She was always careful of her appearance, but she wanted to make sure this...social worker left with the right impression. Regina was a great mother- she was the one who was there for Henry throughout his life, she soothed fevers, changed diapers, and rocked him to sleep. She was the one he owed, not Miss Swan for simply carrying out the pregnancy. _She_ had raised him single-handedly. If Miss Swan wanted a child, she'd have to find another one. Henry was _hers_.

The citizens of Storybrooke were silent as they watched her make her way towards Granny's B&B, where this person was no doubt staying. When the curse was in full effect, they'd all greet her or at least demonstrate some fear at her presence. Now...they gawked. Regina did not appreciate gawking and so put on her iciest glare to discourage such behavior. The cursed buffoons had the nerve to start whispering to each other, and one, that irritating dwarf that was so loyal to Snow all these years, even sneered back.

Regina briefly wondered how Snow White managed to inspire such deep and abiding loyalty while she, the righteously wronged, the sufferer of Snow's fickle promises, had to force obedience in her subservients.

She didn't like where her thoughts were turning, so she dismissed them.

A quick conversation with Ruby (who coped an attitude that was usually reserved for the old woman) told Regina which room to head towards.

She knocked briskly, and the door opened.

Regina took the measure of this woman who was supposed to have the audacity to declare whether or not _she_ was a fit parent. She was a small woman, her dark hair pulled into a serviceable bun that was still attractive rather than severe. She was wearing no make-up but had no creases in her grey skirt suit or green blouse. They both set off her dark complexion very well. What concerned Regina was the woman's sharp, clear eyes- they held no nonsense. In fact, they were entirely still, as if she were playing a game of poker. The knowledge behind them was a calm, still intimidation.

Regina had not been intimidated in a long time, and had no use for the feeling. She'd faced down her mother, made deals with Rumplestiltskin, and had fought for her own Happy Ending in spite of Snow White's eternal hope brigade and all their dithering. Regina had cast the Dark Curse, her father had sacrificed himself so she could have this town under her thumb- have everything she wanted. She couldn't have Daniel, but she could have this. She owed her father to make sure it remained under her power. She would not allow Miss Swan and Miss Ward to make her father's sacrifice void.

"Hello," Regina greeted, giving the polite courtly smile her mother had trained her to smile at her enemies, "I thought I might come and speak for myself. You were going to ask for my side of the story, weren't you?"

Sarah carefully kept her face blank as she allowed Mayor Regina Mills into the room. It wasn't often someone sought her out rather than waiting for her to come to them. They were usually the ones who were sure they were in the right. Of course, they were all usually sure they were in the right. It was a horrifying trick of humanity that even as someone could beat their child, they were certain that what they were doing was right. No one ever thought they were in the wrong, they more often accused the laws of being nosy, or too harsh, or simply ridiculous. There was usually some discussion of the "good-ole days" and government interference. She reminded herself to be impartial, to ignore the other accounts she had just finished typing up and act like this was an entirely new case she was taking news on. Pretend this was the first time she'd heard the names Henry Mills, Emma Swan, and Regina Mills. She would not let anything compromise her objectivity, but it was a struggle after hearing the entire town implicate the Mayor. The Mayor took a seat at the chair by the desk, and Sarah was glad she'd closed her notes before answering the door, it wouldn't do for this woman to be able to read any of them. Sarah herself sat on the end of her bed and crossed her legs, folding her hands into her lap.

"Well," she said, conscientiously choosing the same words she had spoken to Emma Swan some hours earlier. "Why don't you tell me what's going on?"

* * *

Rumplestiltskin spied the former King Maurice loading up his van for his flowers. Valentine's Day was around the corner, and the man would be able to make up his payments then, but...well, this man, after what he did to Belle? This father that Belle had adored so much and sacrificed so readily for?

Rumple found there were a few perks to this curse, and this was his first opportunity to get some of his own back from Maurice since his memories had returned.

"Well," he said to the man, startling him as he came from behind his truck to find Gold and the muscle he'd hired waiting for him, "This is just perfect, I've been looking for you, Mr. French."

The man handed the flowers off to an assistant, his hands clutching and releasing by his side, betraying his emotions even as he kept his voice even and replied, "I'll have your money next week."

"The terms of the loan were fairly specific," Gold said as if it were out of his hands, he turned to the muscle, "Take the van," he calmly instructed, and the man quickly bowed his head and walked towards the driver's side.

"Wait!" Moe French cried out, following the tall man before he came to a stunned halt before his own van, "No! Tomorrow is Valentine's day!" he objected towards Mr. Gold, his eyes darting between the Pawnbroker and the man currently climbing into his truck, "It's the biggest day of—I've got a grand in roses in the back!" the car started, and Moe French stubbornly remained standing in front of it, his hands spread as if to push the van back from inching forward, "Stop! You've gotta let me sell them!"

Gold checked his pocket-watch, affecting indifference and then began to walk away, "I'm gonna leave you two to continue this conversation."

"Oh, this is no way to do business, Gold!" he jerked back as the van lurched forward, "You are the lowest!" he called after Gold's retreating back, spinning out of the way as the van drove off, "People aren't gonna put up with this!" Moe shouted after the man who he first knew as the Dark One. The florist turned back to watch his van disappear, seemingly at a loss.

Gold noticed Ada across the street and approached her. The woman was watching the scene, frowning, her arms crossed across her chest.

Rumple sighed. For all that Miss Ward was a mind almost able to match his own, she was, dreadfully, still one of those obnoxious goody-goodies. He had a feeling she was about to make her objections known- she was never shy with those.

"What was that about?" she tossed her hair as she quickly turned her sharp eyes on him.

"Business, dearie. He defaulted on his loan, I took the truck as collateral."

Ada gave a hum as she examined him, "You're too gleeful for that to be just business. Who was he?"

Rumple sneered, "A foolish king who didn't realize what a gift he had and destroyed it in the vilest of ways."

Ada's eyebrows shot up, "Well, that was...vehement."

"It is earned, dearie. He may appear innocent and trusting now, but that man," Rumple cut himself off before he could finish that sentence. _Destroyed the only bright spot in my curse. The one who could've broken it, had I let her. That would've meant giving up on Bae. Of course, I never told her that._

Ada examined Gold, "Listen, I don't know the story here, but I do know that you're not usually on the justice train. So why don't you tell me who that gift was and what they meant to you?"

Rumple turned his eyes on Ada and she trembled slightly before shoring up her courage. His gaze was furious, burning and spitting fire and hurt. She felt almost a reflexive twinge in her own heart, as if it felt some sort of kindred empathy of what his heart had gone through to achieve that look. Her prickings raced along her skin, leaving goose-flesh across her skin as her hair stood on end.

A lesser person would've cowed before that look.

Ada was not a lesser person.

"Listen carefully, dearie," Ada got the sense she was closer to the true Dark One than she had ever been, "Just because we are temporarily allied and you show some aptitude for my lessons does not allow you to question me. My business is my own, and my motives belong to me. Don't question me again, or I may withdraw my support towards your beloved sister. Don't forget who owes who in this little situation."

He turned to walk away, but Ada took a deep breath and gambled.

"You won't stop helping Emma- you need her to break the curse for whatever reason. You've been playing a long game, putting everyone into their spots for this curse and its breaking. I don't know why, but there's something in it for you. Now, why don't you stop threatening and posturing and face me. Only cowards walk away from questions."

At that word, Rumple stiffened.

* * *

"So what are your thoughts on letting Henry spend time with Miss Swan? Not allowing her custody, but allowing him to talk to her and ask her whatever questions he has?" Sarah's fingers itched to take notes, but she refrained. She kept her body completely still, down to her fingers. Twitching would only make her seem weak, and her stillness helped to intimidate those she interviewed. People who were intimidated tended to blabber, and those who blabbered tended to reveal more of the truth then they meant to.

Mayor Mills sniffed disdainfully, "He doesn't have any questions for Miss Swan. She tossed him away," Sarah hid her flinch at those particular words, "And I was the one who took him in. She cannot come back years afterward and expect to have any rights. She asked for a closed adoption. That's what she got."

"I understood that Henry had sought out her?" Sarah phrased it as a question, though she had seen the evidence to back up the fact that Henry Mills had been the one to seek out Emma Swan- Mary Margaret Blanchard had provided the receipt and credit card statements from when the boy had stolen her card to seek out Emma, and the computer trail was fairly self-evident.

"Henry is currently going through a rebellious phase. He knows who cares for him, deep down. I just don't want Miss Swan to hurt him when she eventually leaves."

Sarah allowed herself to tilt her head slightly to the side, "What makes you think she's going to leave? It's been four months, she's gotten a local job, involved herself in the community, found a place to live. Her friend Miss Ward has moved into an apartment locally as well."

"Miss Swan has lived in seven different cities in the past ten years. She's not stable, no matter how she may appear. The longest she stayed in one location was two years," the woman scoffed, "I think her track record speaks for itself."

* * *

Ada had no idea what a trigger that word would be when she had first uttered it, but now she made a careful mental note of it. The book was spare on the story of Rumplestiltskin. It didn't tell much about who he was before he became the Dark One, and it was also spare on the details of what that curse exactly entailed. All she knew was it was an awful lot of power for one tiny caveat. The dagger that controlled him. It was a small price for seemingly limitless dark power and apparent immortality. The man essentially walked around with the magical equivalent his heart outside of his chest? Too easy, in Ada's book.

She was beginning to regret starting this. Emma wasn't here to back her up or stop her from running her mouth. It was Ada's own personal curse- she was always measured and sure in her actions. She never acted out. Each of her actions were thought out and considered. Emma joked that it would make her a good serial killer- Ada never panicked. It was her tongue that she couldn't control. Her mouth always flew off the handle and ran away with her. She never could hide her opinion on anything- she just couldn't keep quiet when she was riled up. Emma always said that would be what would get her in trouble one day.

Ada was hoping it wouldn't be this day.

"Watch it, dearie," Rumplestiltskin warned her. Ada gathered her courage around her and prepared for another verbal spare. This wasn't like when they were trading quips over the chess board- if he nicked her here, she would bleed. Ada could not afford to lose.

"I'll watch it when you stop outright lying to me."

Rumple turned again to examine her, "I never lie, dearie," he averred. And, indeed, the man was right- he was always very careful to keep on the flimsy side of truth.

"You were the one who just said you'd stop helping Emma if I kept asking questions. We both know that's not true."

Ada could've winced. Calling Rumplestiltskin out on his lie? Not something most people with anything resembling common sense would do.

Rumple couldn't remember the last time someone had actually confronted him ( _he could_ ) and for a moment was shocked out of his anger. It was enough for him to recognize he'd lost his head and actually revealed more than he'd ever intended.

Against his own will, he was impressed with the red head. Regina had tried to contest him, but had only ever reached the level of an annoying gnat, easily swatted away. Miss Ward was a worthy opponent, he had known this, but it took a special person to know exactly who he was (and of what he was capable) and still defy him.

He grinned slowly and watched Miss Ward closely. He thought he detected some discomfort in the corner of her eyes, but she ultimately maintained her strong facade and he decided that, in and of itself, deserved a reward.

"Very well, dearie, what would you like?"

Ada examined him carefully. "You better give the terms of the deal now. I've impressed you and in return you'll let me have something- but what are the parameters? And are there any hidden costs?"

Rumple let loose his signature giggle. Oh, Miss Ward was _fun_! "No other cost, dearie, you've contested me where braver men and their armies failed to even whimper in my direction. You may choose anything within my current power that can be done today, but I will provide no more information than I desire to any questions. You'll get the bare truth, but no details," he wagged his finger at her. She narrowed her eyes and darted them over to where Moe French was standing outside his flower shop.

Well, he hadn't considered that, but he couldn't go back on the deal now. Then, Ada's eyes flashed back to him. Gold grinned- she was torn between bargaining for the man, who she knew nothing of, and for getting more information from him. She remained silently indecisive for a minute.

"Twenty questions. Honest answers, with no details."

The crocodile grinned. "Ten questions. No details."

* * *

"I believe I heard something about a defaming article on Miss Swan?"

Regina grinned, "Which one? The one where she drove drunk upon her first day in Storybrooke and destroyed a historic sign? Or the article about how she cut Henry's cord with a shiv?"

Sarah tried not to show any emotion at the Mayor's choice of words.

"I did some research on Miss Swan myself- that was a juvie record, even I didn't have access. How did a small-town reporter manage to do so?"

Regina shrugged, "I don't control the press."

"But what has been done? He did break the law in accessing that file. Was he arrested?"

Regina scoffed, "Miss Monday, we believe in the free press in this town. I don't know what sort of assumptions you have about small towns, but I assure you, Storybrooke...is enchanting."

"What about Henry? How was he when the article was released?"

"Oh, we all have to lose our heroes sometime. I believe the faster Henry is disillusioned with Miss Swan, the better. It'll make the separation that much easier."

Sarah decided to take a different tact, "Aside from yourself, who does Henry spend most of his time with? Who are his friends at school?"

"Henry's a bit of a loner," Regina shrugged, "When he's not with me, he's at home, though he has snuck out a few times to try and see Miss Swan. I've put a stop to it, obviously."

Sarah gave a small hum.

* * *

"Twenty-five questions."

"Dearie, I think you're rather confused on the concept of bargaining."

"Thirty questions."

"Ten."

"Twenty-five."

"Ten."

"Twenty-five."

Rumple gave a sigh, "Fifteen."

"Ten and you give the man back his van," Ada slyly countered.

"Twenty," Rumple immediately offered.

"Done," Ada pounced with a grin.

Gold couldn't help but sigh, "Let's take this inside, shall we?" he offered with a gesture of his arm towards his shop. Ada boldly hooked her arm through his as they walked towards the Pawnshop.

"I'm so glad we could agree on this."

"And how is the social worker's investigations going?"

"Emma texted me saying she had talked with Sarah. Emma, once she was done panicking, thought it had gone alright, which probably means it went rather well since Emma consistently underestimates herself."

"A problem you don't share?" Rumple probed.

"I know my flaws, if that's what you're asking. I like to think I'm as self-aware as the next person. You?"

He gave a small chuckle, "I can't decide if you're bold or just careless, dearie."

"I think it takes a bit of both."

She released his arm to allow him to unlock the Pawnshop door, which he held open for her. She automatically took her usual seat at the table with the chess board.

"I've often found that the brave are rather foolhardy and reckless. Their bravery stems from a sort of showboating."

"I like to think better of people than that," Ada countered as she ran her fingers along the engravings that decorated the edge of the table.

"Really?" Rumple couldn't help but ask, eyeing her. Most people from Ada's background, like Miss Swan, were quicker to assume the worst of people. It's what Rumple himself did- he found it saved time.

Ada shrugged, "Maybe I'm odd, but I'd rather go through life waiting to be proved right rather than praying to be proved wrong."

Rumple took his seat and her eyes jumped from the engravings to his as he examined the board. "I believe we left off on your turn."

Ada examined her pieces. She moved a knight, "Who was the gift the man didn't appreciate?"

Rumple giggled, "I expected you to warm up to that one, dearie."

Ada shrugged, "I only have twenty questions."

Gold occupied himself with the chess board as he tried to figure out a short answer that would give away a minimum of information. He pushed forward a pawn, "She was named Belle."

Ada's eyes seemed to be cataloging all of Rumpelstiltskin's face, looking for any tells.

"Question two," she moved forward her Queen, "What happened to Belle?"

"She died." He moved a Rook.

Ada was quick to move a pawn, "And how did you know her?"

"She worked as my caretaker as part of a deal," he stubbornly moved a pawn of his own, frowning at the girl across from him.

Ada seemed to be reviewing something in her own memories, perhaps trying to remember if she'd read about Belle in the book.

"Belle," she whispered, as if testing the syllables on her tongue, trying them, out, "Belle, who cleaned your place for you. As a deal. Question three," she moved one of her Rooks out of danger, "Who made the deal with you?"

Twenty questions were too many to hand over to this girl, but he really hadn't wanted to give Maurice back the damned truck. "She did." Rumple moved his Queen, then cursed himself.

"In exchange for what?" A Knight.

"The lives of her friends and family." His Rook captured one of her pawns.

"Question six: how did she die?" One of her pawns managed to capture a knight he'd seemed to have forgotten he had. Talking about Belle was a horrible distraction while playing chess, and he reapplied himself to the game even as he tried not to think too hard on this answer.

"She killed herself. Threw herself off a tower."

"Why?"

Rumple shrugged as he moved his Queen again, "To escape the torture."

"Who was torturing her?" Her Bishop.

"Her father." His pawn.

"The man whose truck you took away?" Her own pawn.

"Yes." His remaining Knight.

"How did her father torture her if she was your housekeeper?" Her King.

"She went home." His Knight took her Bishop.

"You let her out of the deal?" She moved her Rook out of danger.

"Yes." He forgot to position his King and instead moved another pawn.

"Why?" She took the pawn and was posed to take either his Bishop or Rook.

"I didn't want her around." He moved the Rook.

"Why?" She took the Bishop.

"Because she was in the way." He tried to refocus his efforts on the game. If he couldn't play a decent game of chess, Miss Ward would be all too quick to pick up on the subtleties of that particular distraction. He finally moved a pawn because he couldn't think of a better plan.

She took his final Knight. "How did you know she died?"

"I got to hear the Evil Queen crow it," he moved a Bishop. Nothing is more dangerous than someone who sincerely believes they're right, after all.

Ada captured a pawn. "Why was she bargaining for her family and friend's lives?"

He grinned, she'd slipped up there. "Presumably because she held some sort of affection for their continued existence."

Ada grimaced as he captured her own Knight. "Alright, why were their lives in danger at that particular time?"

He watched as she moved a pawn cautiously, "There was a war." He moved his Rook and captured the pawn.

"Against whom?" She timidly put her final Knight into play.

"Ogres," He moved his pawn and captured one of her Rooks.

Ada's jaw dropped, "Ogres are real, too?" As soon as the words left her mouth she cursed loudly.

He smugly waited for her move as he answered, "You wouldn't question their reality if you'd ever smelled one's breath."

She moved her Queen. She only had two questions left. She vindictively took a Rook with her Queen as she tried to hold her tongue long enough to make sure she made her remaining questions worth it. "How do you know she's dead if your source was Regina?"

He took her last Bishop as he squashed the hope in him, "She had no reason to lie."

Ada skeptically raised a single eyebrow, "I think she lies for fun, personally, but alright," she sighed and moved her Queen to take his last Rook, "Why do you want Emma to break the curse after wanting Regina to cast it?"

It was her final question. Rumple was surprised by the shift the conversation. He hadn't expected her to shift gears so quickly and he pounced on her Queen and took her. She was down to a Knight, her King, a Rook, and a couple of pawns. He was left with his King, Queen, a Bishop and a handful of his own Pawns. "Because I need something from this world."

Ada's eyes held still on him. Her eyes were perhaps unnerving. They were still, unlike other eyes that flashed or sparked. Rumple was reminded of moss on the side of trees that surrounded a fairy circle when he examined the redhead's eyes. They were both dark and bright and somehow deep, but motionless, as if waiting and watching was all they needed to accomplish. As if you would do all the action for them and they need only observe. The stillness of her eyes was perhaps in some contrast to the rest of her- all wild, blazing hair that seemed almost alive at times, and her perpetual state of motion. Not to mention the way her mouth ran.

"Do you know what I find particularly illuminating about this particular game we just played?"

"You've used up all your questions, dearie."

"It's okay- I already know the answer to this one," she rose up and gathered her purse and jacket as she prepared to leave. As she opened the door and the bell rang, she turned over her shoulder to comment to him, "You've had me in check the last three turns."

Ada left the pawnshop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I just realized while writing this chapter...I'm over half-way through Season One! Oh my Rowling! Seriously, Skin Deep is the twelfth episode out of twenty-two, and considering I've already added in the storyline of What Happened to Frederick (the thirteenth episode) I am over half-way!
> 
> That's sort of weird to think about. Also, in other news: I've had officially over a hundred reviews on this story between AO3 and ff.net. So, yay!
> 
> Again, sorry for the late posting, but I hope this chapter was worth the wait! That entirety of everything between Ada and Gold came out of nowhere! So not planned, but it happened anyways. What did you guys think?


	30. Rue and Old Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Valentine's Day in Storybrooke, and Rumplestiltskin finds a valued item missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we continue with Skin Deep and the Valentine's Day goings on. Sarah Monday is still in town, so what shenanigans is the Evil Queen going to get up to in order to oust her? And will the backfire? I have no idea- I'm making this up as I go.
> 
> In other, more personal news: I've only got one final left then I graduate! From college! I'll have a Bachelor's Degree & be expected to be all adult-y. 
> 
> Isn't that scary?

Ada slid into the booth where Mary Margaret and David sat discussing a book Mary Margaret had insisted David try. She tried to sucker Ada and Emma into reading _Anna Karenina_ as well, but the girls skillfully evaded her attempts. They both had the sinking feeling that it was only a temporary reprieve, though. Ada was already resigning herself to having to find the audiobook in a few weeks' time.

"I beat Emma and Henry here?" she asked, interrupting the couple's flirtatious discussion. Ada was pretty sure Tolstoy wasn't that cutesy. Especially with the words "doomed love," on the back cover.

"Yes, they should be here soon though," Mary Margaret informed her, and was immediately proven correct when the two in question entered the diner.

"Hey," Ada greeted them as they both clambered into her own side of the booth. "How was school today?" she asked Henry, who launched into a story about a history assignment he was interested in.

"So are we going to talk about Miss Monday?" Mary Margaret asked as soon as it was clear Henry was done with this tale. Emma and Ada exchanged a look over Henry's head.

"I had five minutes," Ada said, "You owe me coffee."

Emma sighed and rolled her eyes.

"What?" David asked and Mary Margaret groaned at the two girls.

"We had a bet over how long Mary Margaret would last before she brought that up," Emma confessed.

"Emma thought she'd make it a whole ten minutes," Ada said with a pitying smile in her sister's direction that seemed to say _you-poor-naive-fool_. Emma rolled her eyes. Henry giggled between them.

Mary Margaret gave a huff, "Well, I'm concerned, so sue me."

Ada gave a grin, "We aren't supposed to really know Miss Monday's findings or conclusions. They're confidential, and even the lawyers only see the parts that she decides to let them see. It's all very hush hush to protect everyone involved."

"So what's the next step?" David asked.

Henry looked up at Emma and Ada, waiting to hear their verdict.

"Well," Ada said, folding her hands on the table before her, "Bill is going to file the petition for child custody, that's the first official step. Next Regina has to file a response form and then there's the first court appearance."

"Will I have to be there?" Henry asked.

Ada gave a shrug, "It all kind of depends. The first time? Probably not, I'd imagine. Anyways, it's a pretty lengthy process- there's going to be quite a few summons and then there's the psych eval."

"You mean we're all going to have to talk to a shrink?" Emma asked.

Ada shrugged, "You and Regina will have to be evaluated, and it'll probably be Archie who does it, honestly. The two attorneys usually reach some sort of consensus. Since he has a history with Henry and in Storybrooke, I'd imagine that as long as you raise no objections they'll go with him."

"What if Regina objects to Archie?" Mary Margaret sensibly pointed out.

"Then it'll look very bad for her in front of the judge, I'd imagine," Ada countered, "Why would she let Henry see a therapist she doesn't trust? Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if she _does_ object," Ada, Emma, and Henry all exchanged a significant look here, knowing Regina wouldn't want anyone she cursed in charge of defending her in court, especially if people were waking up and no longer responding to her threats. "But, again, it'll count more for us if she does, so," Ada shrugged.

"You got any questions, kid?" Emma asked him.

"What if she blames me?" Henry softly voiced, remembering the story of his grandmother- she was ten, so was he. "What if she gets mad at me for the whole thing and blames me?"

Ada wrapped an arm around Henry, "Listen, they'll decide pretty early on what's going to be your custody arrangement while this all is going on. You probably won't be living with either Emma or Regina during this, considering...circumstances," Ada didn't want to say the word abuse. Not in front of Henry, not in public like this. She wasn't sure what labeling it would do for Henry and until she was sure it would help him or at least not hurt him, she was going to keep her mouth shut.

Henry nodded and leaned into her, "Would I stay with you?"

Ada smirked, "Probably not, since I'm Emma's friend. Then again, maybe, since I do have all the clearances and I work with kids like this all the time."

"Have you ever had kids staying with you while their parents fought?" Henry asked, looking over at Emma, who nodded.

"A handful of times," she told him, "Usually not for long, just until they could go somewhere else, but yeah."

The topic had been covered enough for one day, Ada decided, and she turned to happier thoughts, "So what are the big plans for tomorrow, you two?" she asked the couple across from them all, "And please remember, there is a minor present."

"Ada!" Mary Margaret instantly objected.

"We don't have time for much- school's still in session," David pointed out.

"Six hours," Mary Margaret nodded.

"Six hours?" a new voice chimed in, and the group turned to see Ashley handing baby Alexandra over to Granny, "You take newborns? Cuz I'd _love_ six hours."

"Ashley! I didn't-I didn't even recognize you!" Mary Margaret greeted.

"Baby on the outside?" Ashley teased gently. She grabbed a chair and sat down with the group as she caught up with them.

"You look good," Ada insisted.

"How's it going?" Emma asked, examining the teenager in a new light. This was the first time she'd run into Ashley since finding out she was _actually_ Cinderella.

"It's uh," Ashley gave a sad sort of shrug, "I mean, baby's great. But, we really haven't had time to do the whole getting married thing, so... that's been rough and Sean's been working double shifts at the cannery."

"Well, you guys probably have to save up for the wedding," David pointed out. "Sean told me he's been trying to take as many shifts as he can get so you guys have enough put away for a decent honeymoon."

Ashley gave a small smile, "Yeah, but on Valentine's Day? He couldn't get out of it."

"Well, you'll have all the other Valentine's Days for the rest of your lives," Ada pointed out, then took a decidedly less romantic path, "Besides, the most famous thing that _actually_ happened on this day in history was a massacre so," she shrugged as the rest of the group gave her odd looks. "What? It's true. St. Valentine had nothing to do with anything about how we celebrate Valentine's Day now! I know- my parents sent me to Catholic school when I was little!"

" _Anyways_ ," Emma turned back to Ashley, "I'm sorry, that sucks."

Ruby descended on the table with her usual flair and gave Ashley some coffee. "It doesn't have to! Come out with me! Let's have a girls' night! We can all go, Ada, Emma too, if you promise to leave the badge at home."

"I'm not really-" Emma began but Ada cut her off.

"We'll be there," she promised Ruby, "With bells on."

Ruby gave a pleased smirk towards Emma who was trying to suppress the glare she wanted to send in Ada's direction until they were out of the public eye.

"Oh and Ruby?" Ada added just as the waitress was about to walk away, "Emma's buying my coffee today."

Ruby gave a chuckle as Emma huffed and rolled her eyes yet again, but refrained from saying anything. Henry grinned between the sisters.

Emma's phone rang then and the blonde fished it out of her pocket.

"What was that?" Mary Margaret asked as Emma stood.

"The station. Something's up," she ruffled Henry's hair and exited.

Ada eyed her sister's retreating back, "So...do you think I should follow her?" she asked Henry, who laughed.

* * *

Gold surveyed his house, Miss Swan by his side. He should've known something like this would happen, and he cursed himself briefly for the lack of foresight, then he began to plan.

"Sheriff Swan, you can go now. I know exactly what was taken and who did it. I've got it from here," he waved her off.

"No, you don't," the blonde immediately countered. He fought the urge to sigh, "This was a robbery, public menace, and if you don't tell me what you know, I will have to arrest _you_ for obstruction of justice. I have a feeling you don't wanna be behind bars."

In some cases, the laws of these lands were quite a hindrance. Had they been in the Enchanted Forest, people would have left someone in his situation to deal with the robbery on their own should they so choose. " Indeed not," he allowed, "Alright, his name's Moe French. He sells flowers, and he recently defaulted on a loan. A short time ago, we had a little disagreement over collateral. Your sister, Miss Ward, was witness to it. And we had a long talk about it afterwards. She can give you the details on the man's... _past_."

He was fairly certain that Miss Swan would not approve of the old King Maurice after hearing of his treatment of Belle. Very few people would.

Emma didn't miss the inflection and gave a nod, "Okay. I'll go get him, check him out."

He wasn't quite ready to be as accommodating as all that, though, "I'm sure you will, assuming I don't find him," he chuckled, "Let's just say, bad things tend to happen to bad people."

Emma raised an eyebrow, judging the irony of that statement, but let it pass, "Is that a threat?"

"Observation," he countered. Miss Swan turned to leave and he couldn't resist calling out a slightly mocking "Good luck."

She, no doubt, would be calling her sister soon for the details, and while they were exchanging information, he'd be hunting down Moe French.

* * *

When Miss Ward stepped onto his porch and whistled at his damaged front door, Rumple had the sinking feeling that he had forgotten to account for something. While, yes, the sisters would exchange information, they also could do so on their cell phones.

Technology made things infernally complex.

"So... Belle, huh?" he watched as her purple heels clicked on the wood of his flooring, the skirt of her matching dress swirling around her knees. There was a white jacket tossed over her arm as she looked around his house.

"So did you pick the pink or was that Regina trying to stick it to you in whatever way she could?" Miss Ward chirped.

He couldn't quite help a small chuckle, "I imagine the Mayor has to take her digs where she can."

Ada hummed as she rocked back and forth on her heels slightly. "So," she began again, "Belle?"

"What about her dearie?" Rumple was on alert now.

"Let me take a stab at this," Ada began, "She came to live with you as your caretaker as part of the deal."

"I told you that," he interjected.

"Don't interrupt," she scolded him lightly, and he couldn't help but be amused by the audacity. "She comes and lives with you, you guys spend a lot of time together. You fall in love," she was skilled, he had to admit, she didn't even turn to look directly at him when she said that, but he had no doubt she noticed how his grip on his cane tightened. "I'm not quite sure what happened, but I imagine it has something to do with her wanting to go home?" she shook her head as she turned to look directly at him, "No. She already promised to stay with you. You wouldn't fall for someone who doesn't follow through on their word without complaint. It was something else. The relationship. You both were in love but one of you moved too fast or too slow and you sent her away in a pique. She returned home and Regina came knocking a few days later singing over how she'd jumped from the tower to escape her father."

"And where'd you gather all that, dearie? I wasn't aware that story was in young Henry's book."

"It isn't," she told him, then gave a shrug, "But, you know, tale as old as time."

He raised a brow at that but she did not elaborate.

* * *

Sarah Monday looked at the apple turnover the Mayor had given her. It felt, oddly enough, like a threat. Not a bribe, which is how Sarah would've felt about it in most circumstances, but a threat.

Sarah sighed and tossed it out. She was allergic to apples, anyways.

* * *

Gold and Ada entered the Sheriff's station together, having still been exchanging quips when the call came in.

Emma, with a flourish, whipped a sheet off of all the item spread over the desk. "You're welcome. You were right. Your man Moe ripped you off. It was all still at his place."

"And the man himself?" Mr. Gold asked, even as his eyes remained glued to the desk, seeking out one item in particular.

"Closing in on him," Emma assured.

Gold sneered, "So, job well half-done, then."

"Hey," Ada objected on her sister's behalf. "It hasn't even been twenty-four hours and you got your stuff back."

"Is something wrong?" Emma asked as both girls began to notice Gold's tightening grip on his cane and his darkening expression. Ada's head tilted to one side as she examined the pawnbroker.

"You've recovered nothing," he growled, "There's something missing." He began to leave the station.

"What?" Ada asked even as Emma shouted at Gold's back, "I'll get it when I find him."

Gold turned to leave with one final remark, "Not if I find him first."

The two sisters exchanged a look and nodded. Ada ran after Rumplestiltskin.

* * *

David sighed as he looked at the Valentine's cards available in Dark Star Pharmacy. He wanted something meaningful, and then he spotted the card. He supposed it would do, but it still seemed to fall short of what he felt for Mary Margaret.

Hopefully the night he had planned for her would communicate everything he wanted to say.

* * *

"And what do you think you'll accomplish, exactly?" Ada continued to hound Gold as he stalked through the town. She wasn't quite sure where he was going, but she knew it wasn't good.

"I think I'll get my property back," he countered, acting as if she were a fly he couldn't quite get to buzz off.

Ada decided to take a chance and reached forward to grab onto Gold's arm, pulling him to a stop. "Tell me about Belle," she demanded.

"What?" Rumple shook his head at the non-sequitur.

"Tell me about Belle," Ada repeated, "What was she like? Why did you love her? How did you fall in love with her?"

"Don't you mean how did she fall in love with such a beast?"

Ada shook her head, "It is a sad fact of the world that girls can and will fall for men who are beasts, mostly because they think they can save them or change them. Most of the time they're wrong. The only person who can save a beast is himself. But, sometimes, being loved by a girl enables a man to...stop being a beast. This metaphor is starting to get away from me but the point is: I'm not _totally shocked_ by the story. As I said: tale as old as time. But I've always known the girl's side of the story. Tell me the story of the beast."

Gold sighed, "Alright, but we keep moving." Ada nodded and slipped her arm into his again, keeping him at a sedate pace as he began the tale, "Belle was...well, first I should probably tell you she was beautiful, correct?"

Ada shook her head, "You're not one for appearances. And not just because you're normally all covered in scales, either."

"Well, she was, uh, beautiful," he told the redhead with a flourish of his hand, "But more immediately: she was intelligent. She was clever. Always reading, that girl. I sent her to dust the library and she had to stop to read each and every book."

"And, of course, giving her all those books wasn't your plan at all," Ada teased.

Rumple shot her a look from the corner of his eye, "Of course not dearie, I'm not that sort of beast."

Ada gave a non-committal hum. "Go on."

"She was brave without being foolish. A Princess- she knew the cost of things and was willing to pay them," he began to get a bit lost in his memories, "She used to ask questions. All the time. Why did I spin so much? Where was this from? What was that land like? Couldn't get away from all her questions. But she could be quiet, too. Give her a book and she'd be," he waved his hand, "Poof. Lost in another world."

Ada watched as he seemed to transform, speaking of this girl, and she wondered again at Regina being the one to deliver the news of her death.

"It was Regina, put the idea in her head," he added almost sadly, "True Love's kiss can break any curse," he mocked.

"I hate to be the one to break this to you," Ada took a deep breath before continuing, "But I'm pretty sure she would've ended up kissing you eventually. Love tends to lead to that sort of thing."

"Love. It's like a delicate flame. And once it's gone, it's gone forever."

* * *

Mary Margaret carefully smoothed down the hem of her dress and a grin lit up her face when she heard the knock at her door. It was David. Taking a deep breath, she tried to open the door as calmly as possible, but couldn't quite contain the wide grin she beamed as soon as she saw him, dressed up, with a bouquet of flowers. Fortunately, David wore a matching expression.

"Oh, those are beautiful," Mary Margaret beamed as she took the bouquet. There were some small rose buds, and a tiny white flower interspersed with them that looked oddly familiar. "I love the little white ones."

"They're called rue anemone," David supplied, "I saw them and, I don't know- they just reminded me of you." He shrugged and plucked one out of the arrangement to tuck into her hair. His expression softened into something that was somewhat like awe and a lot like love, "You look beautiful."

Instead of blushing, Mary Margaret smiled up at him, and took his hand. "Let's go," she whispered as they exited the loft.

* * *

Ada looked at the time. She had promised Ruby a girl's night out, but Gold was still...well, he was still Rumplestiltskin, and she didn't trust him not to do something... _evil_ while she was gone.

She sighed. Maybe she could do a good old-fashioned guilt trip? Manipulate him into buying some time?

"You know, I wonder what she would think."

"On what, dearie?"

Ada sighed again, shaking her head, "On you. How you are now. I mean, I know she fell in love with you even while you were all dark dealings and I'll-take-your-first-born, but, I can't help but wonder what she would've hoped for you. You know? I mean, we all hope things for those we love. I've got about a million hopes for Emma and Henry. I wonder what hers were for you."

As if on cue, Ada's phone rang- Ruby, calling her to see when she was going to arrive at the bar.

"Hey," Ada answered, ignoring the wondering look on Gold's face as she walked away to hold the conversation, "Yeah, I'll be there in about an hour. I've got to change first. I'll see you then." She hung up and turned back to Gold. "I'll see you later, got to go."

* * *

When Ada arrived at the Rabbit Hole, she spotted the girls immediately. Emma had managed to beg out of the evening, citing tracking down Moe French as a damnably reasonable excuse, but Ruby and Ashley were both there, waiting for Ada to join in.

Ashley downed a shot and Ada couldn't help but be impressed. To think, she was sitting here drinking with Cinderella and Red Riding Hood. _And_ Cinderella apparently could hold her liqueur relatively well. For a princess.

"You might want to slow down there," Ada greeted them and grinned as they all exchanged hugs.

"This is my first night out since I've had the baby," Ashley told them with a smile that seemed to have cracks around the edges, "I am making up for lost time." With that, she downed another shot.

Ruby eyed some men across the bar, "Ooh, Ash, check out those guys. Ada?"

"Oh, honey," Ashley shook her head, "I'm still with Sean."

"You're not married," Ruby countered "And he's not here."

"He's working," Ashley defended her prince.

"He's always working," Ruby rolled her eyes. "Have fun moping! Ada?" she turned to eye up the redhead.

"I'll join you in a second, you get first pick," Ada assured her. Ruby gave a wolf-like grin as she practically stalked over to the men, drink in hand. They looked quite pleased with the situation.

"She's right," Ashley sighed, "He is always working. I thought love would be different."

"Oh, hon," Ada took a moment to appreciate that she was going to give Cinderella relationship advice, then shook the thought out of her head as _way too_ _disturbing_. "Have you talked to him about it at all? Or have you just quietly let him go on thinking you thought it was a good idea to work like this too?"

"Well," Ashley countered, "I don't want to be unsupportive. And it's not like he's wrong- we do need the money with the baby and his father won't help us," she sighed again.

"But you do deserve some time together, so I'll tell you what," Ada grabbed Ashley's purse and pulled out the girl's phone, "When Sean comes home, you tell him you want to have a date night, and explain to him that he can't work himself to death even for his family because while it's good to have money, it's more important to have _him_. You guys make plans and if you want me to babysit," she handed the phone back to Ashley, "There's my number. I'm fully qualified," she added with a wink.

Ashley gave a giggle that was still a little sad and Ada tried one more time.

"Listen, from what I've seen, love is never what anyone expects it to be," she thought once again on Rumplestiltskin and the elusive Belle, "And that's to be expected- everyone is different, no two loves are the same and life has a way of, well, getting in the way. But, you've got to fight for what you want and you've got to hold onto hope." Ada paused a moment and remembered Cinderella's moral from her story, "You can change your life, but only if you try."

Ada grabbed her drink and downed it, realizing how much she was beginning to sound like the damn storybook. She flashed Ashley one more smile and then went to check on Ruby, who seemed to be making quite the impression.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's that. Quite a bit shorter than the last update, but I want to spread out Skin Deep a little more. For the record, yes, the white flowers that David gives to Mary Margaret are supposed to be the same flowers we see in Snow's hair at her wedding and in that nursery scene. It took me freaking forever to try and figure out what type of flower they were since the Once wikia didn't say and I had to keep searching google for five-petaled white flowers with yellow stamen (the blurry photos I was trying to compare and contrast did not help). Still not sure if that's the right kind, I was torn between rue anemone and common strawberry flowers, but I went with the rue because it had a prettier name and I could do a lot more symbolism with a name that has "rue" in it than I could with a strawberry.
> 
> I just want to thank everyone who stuck with this story even with my long, unexpected absence. And thank you and welcome to all the new people as well! I'm fully convinced only the most awesome of people are reading my story and that's a heady feeling. Hope you all are enjoying it and, please, tell me what you think! Of this chapter, of the story, of the show in general. Gimme some feedback and review! Each and every one makes my day, I swear to you.


	31. The Student Tutors the Teacher

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gold breaks down, Ada and Emma deal with the fall-out, Valentine's Day comes to a close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry sorry sorry for how VERY late this update is! Life's been...hectic. Most of my time has been consumed with job hunting and trying to decide basically what to do with myself in regards to furthering my education. I got quite twisted around and agitated with lots of doubts and concerns and annoying voices in my head that are probably best ignored 99% of the time. Eventually my mom just asked me: If money and time were no object, what would you want to do? And thus I have decided: I'm going to pursue a master's degree in English, try my hand at teaching (hopefully on a collegiate level, which is my goal) and (again, hopefully) get my PhD in English at some point. My Bachelor's degree, though, is...not in English. So tricky paths ahead, but this is what I love most (if you couldn't guess from the plethora of nerdy English nonsense I do on this site), so hopefully it'll work out. Either way: busy. That, and as I was having my existential crisis I couldn't get myself to write a single word for any of my stories. So, here I am, my head (almost) on straight, and hopefully able to indulge myself in some writing while also figuring out how to get into a Masters program for English at a school close enough to home to commute. Wish me luck! On top of that, I then got a job working with special needs kids and I'm pretty much done by time I get home. So, to the reviewer who I said "one week" to- I am sorry, I blame the job, please forgive me. And, enjoy this update, you wonderfully patient people who have stuck by me. Thank you for that.

By the time Rumplestiltskin was able to pull himself out of his reverie and daydreams of Belle to realize he had just been manipulated (and blatantly, obviously manipulated at that) he had already decided to largely ignore the fact that he was off his game enough for it to take this long to realize the fact, and that he was also off his game enough that Miss Ward hadn't even bothered to try a more complex and convoluted method to keep him where she wanted him.

When one's own student doesn't even bother to use more than a five minute verbal ploy and it _still_ succeeds, one is forced to reassess their mental capabilities and biases.

However, Gold had other business for this evening, so he put those thoughts away for another time when he'd have the leisure to go over them and all their details.

Considering how careful the Misses Swan and Ward were to keep within the rules of this realm, despite now knowing that the citizens of Storybrooke were from another one entirely, Rumple didn't believe he could trust them to bring any justice to Belle until the curse was fully broken. Then, no doubt, the sisters would happily pursue justice for everyone (which, really, might get him into a bit of hot water- he'd have to plan carefully to remain in at least Miss Ward's good graces). Rumple couldn't wait on this- he'd waited long enough. _Belle_ had waited long enough. She deserved justice in a way few people did, he thought.

He choose to ignore the voice in his head (one that sounded rather like Miss Ward) that pointed out Belle would have preferred mercy over justice, especially for her own father. He'd had hundreds of years worth of practice in ignoring the voices in his head. Previous Dark Ones could be...chatty.

* * *

Ada stirred her drink before taking another swallow. She giggled as Ruby cracked a rather risque joke and Ashley blushed furiously. Suddenly, a chill went up her spine and her prickings broke out in a furious jangling of nerves. Ashley and Ruby gave her concerned looks as she actually gasped from the sensation.

"I'm sorry," she exhaled in a hasty breath, "But I've got to-" she cut herself off and fumbled for her phone, dialing Emma immediately. She wasn't sure what her prickings were trying to tell her, but Ada was just praying her sister and Henry were fine.

"Hey, A- I've," Emma answered after the second ring, but the redhead was immediately speaking over her in a rush of concern.

"Emma! OH, thank god- I just got the worst case of prickings and I was so worried- are you ok? Where are you? Please, don't do anything, Emma- I just- the prickings, I can't let-"

* * *

The man known as Mr. Gold was behind the wheel of the truck he had taken as collateral earlier. In the back, the man who was the current target of his ire was gagged and tied up. Rumplestiltskin pulled up to an abandoned cabin in the woods and Mr. Gold, with a pistol, opened the back of the truck allowing Moe to slowly climb out, still tied up. The man's eyes were wide with shock, fear, while Rumpelstiltskin's eyes were filled with a icy anger.

* * *

Ada continued to babble as Emma tried to calm her with promises that she was fine, that she was safely in the Sheriff's station, no cars anywhere nearby, that she was sure Henry was fine as well, that the prickings must be trying to tell her something else. Ada's words slowed and then stopped.

"Gold. He's up to something," she muttered and then, without another word, hung up. She turned back to the table where Ruby and Ashley waited for her, concern all over their faces. Ada grabbed her purse and threw some bills on the table.

"I'm sorry, girls, I'm going to have to cut this short. I'll see you tomorrow, but I've got to go sort something now." Ruby nodded and Ashley started to say she hoped everything worked out alright but Ada was already on the move.

If her prickings weren't forewarning her of something horrible happening to her family, then there was one other likely explanation: Rumplestiltskin had done something.

Ada just hoped she was in time to stop it from escalating.

* * *

Two men entered an abandoned cabin deep in the woods. The first turns to stare at the second in horror. Rumple cocked the gun in his hand, pointing it more firmly at the former King Maurice. In a chilling voice he told the florist: "Now, you see, here's the thing—I don't normally let people get away."

* * *

Emma immediately went to the station's ancient computer and banged it as she tried to search where Gold might be hiding out while "up to something." The problem was, of course, that the man owned almost all of Storybrooke.

* * *

"Let me explain, okay?" Moe French begged Mr. Gold, who sent his gun on a table and pulled up a chair. "Let me explain."

"Oh," Gold sighs as he sits himself down, he knows Moe will not be able to explain to him what Rumple truly wishes to know- not until the curse is broken, but still...watching the man squirm may be interesting. He silences once more the voice in his head that asks what Belle would think. "Well, that is...fascinating. Truly fascinating." Quickly, but with purpose, he brings up his cane and presses it into the throat of the former King Maurice, his eyes steely as he explains the game, "I'm going to let you breathe in a second, and you're going to say two sentences. The first is going to tell me where it is. The second is going to tell me who told you to take it. Do you understand the rules?"

Moe nodded, tears glistening in his eyes and managed a horse "Yeah."

"Good," Rumplestiltskin replied. "Let's begin."

Gold removed the cane.

"I needed that van."

"Ah, ta, ta," Rumple tisked, "Now, you see, _that_ is not a good sentence." Faster than most would think the crippled man could move, Gold struck out.

Moe cried out. And Rumple actually physically shook his head to rid himself of the voice that simply repeated Belle's name over and over again.

And then: " _You're not a monster. You think you're uglier than you are._ "

* * *

Ada realized, as she stood in Gold's empty pawnshop, that she had no idea where to begin looking for the imp, and her prickings, while informative, were not a tracking device.

Feeling a moment of hopelessness, she sighed and sat at Gold's chess set, her eyes skimming the shop around her for any clue of where the pawnbroker might be.

She was sure, wherever Gold was, Moe would be there.

What sort of state the flower salesman might be in, she couldn't begin to say.

* * *

Gold almost growled as he tried to ignore the voices in his head. The noise was not helped by Moe's continued begging and shouting. It was beginning to get a bit overwhelming, and he didn't want to loss his tenuously fought for control. If he couldn't control himself...

Well, no point in dwelling on that.

Moe watched as the pawnbroker seemed to struggle with some sort of inner demons, and hoped.

Emma kicked down the door of the cabin she had thought might contain Rumplestitlskin, and was gratified to see him there, with Moe tied up to a chair.

"Oh, thank god!" the kidnapped man said, "Help! I think he's losing it!"

Emma kept her eye on Gold as she untied Moe and instructed him to go to the cruiser. Rumpelstiltskin, rather than reacting to her presence, sank down into his own chair, head cradled in his hands.

Emma dialed Ada's number.

* * *

Ada sat in what had previously been Moe's seat and gave a nod to Emma, who left the cabin to get Moe to Whale to be checked out.

The redhead remained silent, just watching the man before her. In the silence of the cabin, Rumplestiltskin began to regain control and quiet in his own mind, silencing the voices in his head.

Except for one.

_"You're not a monster."_

"It's missing. Belle's cup," he murmured to the girl across from him. " _He_ ," Gold spat out the word, " _Took it. And now it's gone._ "

Ada stayed silent.

"Someone told him to take the cup, someone who knew," Gold hissed.

"There's only one person we know who has their memories, who knows who you are," Ada pointed out, "You didn't need Moe to tell you what you already know."

"But where did he put it?" Gold shouted, and then calmed suddenly. The man gave a smirk, "Besides, maybe I wanted to hurt him. Give the man a taste of his own medicine, is that the phrase?"

Ada was quiet.

"Time we got out of here," she finally whispered, and stood.

* * *

Mary Margaret and David strolled down Storybrooke's darkened streets, hand-in-hand.

"So how is Emma adjusting?" David asked. They had eaten a romantic dinner in one of Storybrooke's finest restaurants (which, to be fair, wasn't as fine as something that could've been found in a city like Boston, but it was the thought that counted, right?) and were now...well, meandering he supposed was the right word. They had talked all night and yet found no end to the conversation that flowed around them and between them.

Mary Margaret gave a small smile, "I think it's going well, though, I'm worried- she's so used to living with Ada that things are still a bit of an adjustment. And now, with Henry...well, I think she's trying her best, but still- I wish she'd ask for help a little more often," Mary Margaret trailed off.

"But she's stubborn," David finished her thought, "Like you." The two of them paused for a second, and David wondered where that comment had come from.

"Like me?" the school teacher questioned. "You think I'm stubborn?" It certainly was something she couldn't remember ever being accused of before.

David thought for a moment, "Yeah, I mean, I think, I guess," he trailed off. Then, he smirked. "Well, you were pretty stubborn about how you were going to accept a relationship with me- it was entirely on your terms!" He laughed at the abashed look on the brunette's face.

"To be honest," she confessed, "When you showed up that day...I probably would've caved even if you hadn't completed that...list of requirements," she waved her hand at the term, unsatisfied with it, "I was just...so ready to _be_ with you. It seemed like we'd been working to just be together for ages and I was so tired of waiting. You know?"

David stopped and, under a street light, turned to face her fully, he looked down into her eyes and gave a soft smile. "Yeah," he murmured. "I know." And with that, he kissed her.

* * *

Emma and Ada sighed in unison as Emma locked the cell door that separated Rumplestiltskin from the rest of the world.

"You know why I'm doing this, right?" Emma pointedly questioned as she put the keys away.

"Well, dearie," Gold began while tilting his head to the side in an eerie, almost reptilian manner, "It wouldn't do to give any sort of hint to the mayor that you might know more of what's going on than she'd like. And you, not locking me up after I kidnap and beat a seemingly innocent flowerman might imply that you know he wasn't so innocent and bring up more than a few questions. It might also imply that you were trying to stay on my good side- which, really, would be a drastic change of character for our daring Sheriff Swan."

"Or," Ada countered with a huff of annoyance, "It could be that you took the law into your own hands and, innocent or not, kidnapped and beat a flowerman."

"He used to be a king," Rumplestitlskin tossed out carelessly before continuing, "And where I'm from, the victim of a crime was allowed to pursue his own justice without interference however he saw fit."

"Well, buddy, you're not in the Enchanted Forest anymore," Emma told him, grabbing her coat to leave for the night, "And as long as you're in my world, we play by my rules."

Ada sighed as she grabbed her own bag and coat before helping Emma turn out the lights and lock up the station. "Goodnight, Rumplestiltskin," she said as she flicked off the final light switch, "May you dream of your Beauty," she added on a soft sigh, just loud enough to be carried to the man sitting on the cell's narrow cot and wrap around his heart.

He wasn't so sure he wanted to dream of Belle, when her father's blood was still on his cane, locked up in evidence.

_"You're not a monster."_

* * *

Regina sighed as she waited in her foyer with a glass of cider in one hand. Her skirt and shirt were perfectly pressed, perfectly coordinated. Her home was perfectly decorated in a tasteful representation of her style. Her hair was perfectly styled, her make-up perfectly applied, and her cider was perfectly made, poured, and sipped.

Everything around Regina was perfect, but she could see the cracks appearing in her perfect veneer.

Her son was not perfect. Seeking out his birth mother, seeking out anyone other than her, questioning the world she had provided to him. Seeking more than her, questioning her.

Just a few miles away in one of the B&B's rented rooms was a woman who was questioning her right to be Henry's mother. After everything she had sacrificed for that boy (she never bothered to make a list, mostly because there was a voice in the back of her head implying that she had never sacrificed anything she wanted for Henry, that she only did what she wanted and Henry was merely expected to fall into line, but she repressed that voice and avoided actually making a list)- to have Henry questioning her was bad enough, but to have strangers judging her parenting?

And Gold...she had a sinking suspicion he was awake and stirring trouble. It would help explain why the adoption, the slightly shady adoption she'd had Gold procure for her due to impatience, was being so thoroughly examined.

Miss Swan hadn't yet bit on the traps Regina had set for her, so the mayor had focused on an older enemy, one whose pressure points she had long known.

And he had broke.

But she wanted a _verbal_ admittance. With Rumplestiltskin it was always about words- the words you said, the ones you didn't, the shades of meaning you were too slow, too stupid to catch in time. The words you missed.

She wanted his words. And she would get them.

At her feet on her coffee table was an imperfect tea cup.

It had a single chip.

* * *

Ashley felt a sort of swoop in her gut that caused her to look at the door the exact moment Sean entered. Ada's advice was still ringing in her ears, so she didn't even question why he was there, it just seemed like the universe knew she had wanted to talk to him, had needed to talk to him, and had, therefore, provided her the opportunity.

Ashley fully intended to grasp it.

"Ashley," Sean said with a nervous looking smile, and she was so focused on her words that she didn't even notice the flowers in his hand.

"Sean," she grinned, "I need to tell you something- I know, I know that you need to work as many hours as possible right now. I get that, and I appreciate that, and I think you're so amazing for doing it-"

"Ashley," the man attempted to cut in, but the blonde girl who had forgotten her own story continued on.

"But I need you. I want you. And not just for a few minutes when you come home before you drift off. Yes, it's important to save money to provide for our family, to maybe save so we can one day have a bigger family, but, Sean," and here she took a step forward and cupped his jaw in her hand, smoothing her fingers over his cheek, "It's more important to have you. So, so," she began to run out of steam and tried to remember Ada's words, "You can't work yourself to death, and we need a date night soon. Ada is fully qualified. To babysit," she added quickly, shaking her head.

Sean chuckled, his grin widening as he watched her stumble as her speech winded down, his own free hand reached up to mirror hers, and he guided his love towards him as he looked into her eyes and felt a strange sort of peace settle over him, as if everything had already been decided, his question had already been answered.

As if she were already his wife.

"Marry me?" he whispered, forgetting, in the moment, to get down on one knee, to pull out the ring he'd saved for her. Sean simply smiled and breathed.

Ashley stuttered.

"I'm actually on break right now," he chuckled, "But I wanted to ask you tonight, so..." he trailed off. "I've only got twenty minutes, Ash."

"Yes!" Ashley practically shouted as Sean suddenly remembered the ring and got it out for her. The two chuckled and laughed, in their own bubble, not noticing as the rest of the bar applauded and cheered them.

"My truck's outside if you want to take a ride, before I head back to work. It's not much of a date, but I promise- we'll take Ada up on her babysitting offer soon." He gave her a winsome grin.

"It's the best date," Ashley told him, chocking on tears of happiness. When the night began, she'd never expected it to end like this.

"Then, your carriage awaits," Sean told her, offering his hand. Ashley slipped her fingers into his, letting him lead her outside. The couple smiled and grinned, barely hearing or acknowledging their congratulations.

They did not remember that they were already married.

They did not remember that he ring Sean had given Ashley had rested on her finger before.

* * *

_"Now you've made your choice. And you're going to regret it. Forever. And all you'll have...is an empty heart. And a chipped cup."_

Rumplestiltskin was used to nightmares. He had all the former Dark Ones whispering in his ears ever since his name appeared on the dagger, after all. Nightmares...nightmares were nothing new. But there were a handful that could still wake him with a twisted grip on his heart. Bae. Belle. Sometimes even Milah's accusing eyes would wake him, but it was mostly the loves of his life- his son and his...well, he had never given them the opportunity for her to become his anything.

His regret?

No, he couldn't regret not letting Belle break his curse. She didn't know it- but he'd needed it to get back to Bae. And he hadn't explained.

So he woke with a twist to his heart, but no gasp. Still, he had a sinking feeling the woman sitting at the desk across from him knew what had woken him anyways. Her eyes- so still, like the green moss that would grow deep in the forests of his home realm- they seemed to parse and parcel souls, hearts, minds. They broke people apart to their essential pieces and labeled them. No...that wasn't quite right. Broke implied some sort of pain to the process. And labeling implied a sort of judgement. Her eyes, rather, identified the elements of a person, their hopes, their dreams, the parts of the past that clung to them like the dust of a road, and then, not labeled, but sympathized, felt them. Took them into herself and recognized them.

No, Rumplestiltskin preferred the breaking and labeling. The taking and recognizing was hard for a soul, for a heart, for a mind such as his to handle.

Ada handed him a to-go cup and he smelled coffee. Rumplestitlskin weighed the pros and cons, the possible costs, the nuances of accepting the cup before he finally took it.

He had a sinking feeling the woman across from him knew that too.

"Tell me the story again, please," she whispered, her voice in the same soft tone she had used last night, when she told him to _"Dream of your Beauty."_

He sighed and his eyes drifted half-way shut, his gaze resting on the bars before him, but unfocused.

"There was a war. A small war, in the grand scheme of things, but even small things have a way of changing the course of the future. And in the last, desperate days of the war, a King and a Princess became desperate enough to call on a monster to make a deal. He came. The price was simple- the Princess in exchange for an end of the war, an end in the favor of the tiny kingdom. The King refused, spouting..." Rumple waved a hand, "All sorts of nonsense. But the Princess, she was smart, held a book in her hand during the entire meeting, and she spoke up- she said yes. So the monster took her away to his castle, put her in the dungeons, forced her to work as a servant a sort of...reverse Cinderella. But still, she did not break, she did not bend. She cheerfully went around cleaning, and kept asking questions. She buzzed about all day, asking where this came from, what that land was like, why did the monster spin so much gold when he had more than he could ever use already? At night she cried in her dungeon, he could sometimes hear her, but each morning she would get up and begin the questions and cleaning again. She devoured every book she found in the monster's home. Then she made a fatal mistake.

"She kissed the beast, and he ate her heart. She was returned home, and shamed and tortured, and betrayed. She jumped from a tower to escape it all. And that, dearie, is what happens to girls who are foolish enough to fall in love with beasts."

"You heard about her death through Regina?" Ada questioned.

"I've already told this to you, dearie, don't be tiresome."

"And you believed Regina?" Ada asked skeptically.

"She didn't know what Belle meant to me," Rumple muttered, his eyes still resting on the bars before him.

Ada just stared at him, "Well, if you did as good a job hiding it then as you do now," she trailed off without finishing the sentence.

Gold's head snapped up and stared at her, "What do you mean?" he hissed.

"Gold," Ada began, her tone conversational as she turned her gaze out the window to the streets of Storybrooke, "You are a master bullshitter. I mean, a true master at lying your ass off. But," she turned to stare at him, "If you think that everyone in the entire freaking Enchanted Forest couldn't pick up on the fact you loved her," she gave him a skeptical look, "You've clearly used your own talents on yourself and succeeded in bullshitting the bullshitter."

She got up to walk away with that, but turned back with a huff and actually shook her fists a little as she returned to sit across from him, "I can't even walk away, damnit. Because you're upset. And so upset, that everyone on this side of the country can tell. Damnit. This is why Emma tells me to stop picking up strays."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's the chapter. Whew. Again, so sorry it took me so long to update again. And again, thank you to those who stuck by this story. You are lovely, wonderful people. I just hope the chapter was worth the wait (or, rather, at least worth...y'know...half of the wait).


End file.
